Ben Rathbun, who starred on the reality series 90 Day Fiancé, has died at the age of 55. He died at his residence in Greencastle, Indiana, on Monday morning, as reported by a source to TMZ. Ben had been fighting stage four stomach cancer, a diagnosis he received only at the end of last year. According to the publication, he spent his last moments surrounded by family. Ben gained fame after his story was showcased on 90 Day Fiancé, where he was a 52-year-old father of four who met his 22-year-old girlfriend, Mahogany Roca.
The show features four women who travel to the US to live with their fiancés for the first time using a unique 90-day fiancé visa. Couples must decide whether to marry at the end of the 90-day trial. The couple later appeared on a follow-up spinoff, 90 Day Diaries, in which they revealed they had got married a few months earlier.
Before the 90 Days season 5, Ben, then 52 and a divorced father of four, met Roca, originally from Peru, online. However, Rathbun’s loved ones and some viewers worried he was being catfished because she refused to participate in video calls during their courtship. The couple eventually met in Peru and got married.
“Our civil ceremony was just brilliant, I could not believe how beautiful it was,” Ben revealed on a February 2024 episode of the spinoff show 90 Day Diaries.
“But we are still planning on having a religious ceremony,” he added that he still needed to ‘build trust’ with his new wife despite the nuptials.
“We’re just going through a challenging transition. I’ve gone about six months without a really good job and bills have been piling up, of course,” he told In Touch.
“Things are extremely tight now and I’m doing everything I can right now to pay all the bills and for my next trip to Peru,” he added.
Meanwhile, fans of the hit TLC franchise quickly expressed their upset over the news. One fan commented: “Crazy. He looked so healthy. Reminder that we aren’t promised tomorrow.”
Another wrote:”I’m saddened by the loss of Ben. He had a unique spirit and a powerful impact on those who knew him well.”
One user added: “Oh Wow. Always liked him on the show. So sad. Prayers and condolences to his family, friends, and all that knew and loved him. May he R.I.P.”