Beloved Survivor castaway Jane Bright has died at the age of 71.
“Today Jane Hammett Bright was found passed away within her home by a good friend and county sheriff,” Jane’s daughter, Ashley Hammett, who made an appearance on Survivor for the game’s loved ones visit, announced via Facebook on Thursday, May 15.
A cause of death was not shared at the time.
Several Survivor alums and fans took to social media to pay their respects to Jane, who first appeared on season 21 of the beloved reality series.
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“Rest in heavenly peace. Jane from Survivor Nicaragua,” two-time winner Sandra Diaz-Twine wrote via Instagram alongside a photo of Jane’s cast photo.
Survivor: China winner Todd Herzog replied in the comments, “Love you Jane! Always in our hearts!”
Jane first appeared on Survivor during its Nicaragua season, which aired in 2010. She applied to the competition series 10 times before being selected for its 21st season. During her season, tribes were divided by their age and Jane was the oldest woman on the cast at age 56.
Survivor: Nicaragua included a variety of characters, including winner Fabio Birza, country singer Chase Rice, and NFL coach Jimmy Johnson. Jane was best known for feuding with her tribemate Marty Piombo. Jane attempted to get Marty out at every chance she could and was successful on day 24, making him the second member of the jury.
Jane was able to stay in the game due to her quirky charm, ability to provide food for the tribe and challenge prowess. She won two individual immunity challenges in her season, the most out of any woman on the cast. Jane formed a strong connection with Chase on the island and they bonded over both of them being from North Carolina.
However, Jane’s time on the island came to an end after her alliance saw how well she was perceived by the jury. She was voted out on day 36 and became the seventh member of the jury.
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Despite not being crowned the Sole Survivor, Jane was the fan favorite of the season. During the reunion show, Jane was selected by the fans as the first ever Sprint Player of the Season award and won $100,000.
While Jane did not play Survivor again following her time on Nicaragua, she remained a fan favorite even in the New Era. While gearing up to play Survivor 48, Charity Nelms shared that Jane was her favorite all-time player and was hopeful to connect with her after this current season aired.
“I called Jane my favorite Survivor of all time in one of my interviews and she messaged me inviting me to her farm less than a month ago,” Charity wrote via her Instagram Story on Thursday. “This is so sad. We lost a really special one.”
