Fans of Big Brother are mourning the death of Amber Siyavus, who became one of the most memorable faces of the show’s eighth season.Siyavus died Friday, October 9, in Clark County, Nevada, according to records from the Clark County Office of the Coroner/Medical Examiner.She was 46.Troubled final years before deathHer cause and manner of death have not been determined and remain under investigation. TMZ was the first outlet to report the news.For viewers who remember the 2007 season, Amber was impossible to forget. She was deeply emotional throughout her time in the Big Brother house, where she frequently broke down in tears and eventually earned the nickname “Whamber.”She spent more than 60 days in the house and finished in seventh place.During her time on the show, she also spoke openly about her daughter, Lexi Tomcavage, and formed close friendships with fellow houseguests Dustin Erikstrup and Jameka Cameron.Following news of her death, longtime Big Brother host Julie Chen Moonves shared a clip from her 2007 interview with Amber and paid tribute to the former contestant.
Big Brother 8 personalities Jessica Hughbanks, Amber Siyavus, and Jameka Cameron arrive at the 2007 Fox Reality Channel Really Awards held at Boulevard 3 on October 2, 2007 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)
“Rest in Peace Amber. Hard to believe but I know you are back in our eternal home with our Creator,” Chen Moonves wrote. “Thank you for your heart and honesty. We will remember you with love ❤️.”Behind the reality-TV fame, however, Amber’s life included profound personal struggles and painful chapters that few viewers would have known about, according to TMZ.In 2018, she suffered an unimaginable loss when her 18-year-old daughter, Lexi, died in Ohio in a death that was investigated as an apparent suicide. Amber had often spoken about her daughter while she was inside the Big Brother house more than a decade earlier.