Kirk Medas, who starred on the MTV reality series Floribama Shore, has died. He was 33 years old.
Former costar Aimee Hall announced the news in an Instagram post on Friday, May 2.
“Today we lost a brother, a best friend, and heaven gained the most beautiful angel,” Hall wrote. “We are all trying to process this unimaginable loss. Kirk was the glue that held us all together. He loved each and every one of us so deeply, with a heart bigger than this world.”
Hall’s post came one day after she revealed on Instagram that Medas had been in an intensive care unit for two weeks with a case of necrotizing pancreatitis. According to Cedars Sinai, necrotizing pancreatitis is a condition in which part of the pancreas dies because of inflammation or injury, potentially causing serious infections.
Hall said at the time that Medas didn’t have medical insurance and so his mother set up a GoFundMe campaign to pay for his hospital expenses. As of the time of this writing, supporters have donated more than $35,000 toward the campaign’s $100,000 goal.
In her post on Friday, Hall said she and Medas were family ever since they met when they were both 24 years old. “We talked almost every single day. We worked together, we traveled together, we vacationed together — we did life together,” she wrote. “He was there through every chapter, through every change, always ready to hold our hands and lift our spirits.”
She added: “I never imagined that the last time we FaceTimed would be the last time I’d see his beautiful eyes. I never thought that the last time we vacationed together would be the last time I’d get to hug him. If I had known, I would’ve held on longer. So much longer. … One sweet day, I know we’ll all be together again. Until then, I’ll miss him every single day.”
Medas and Hall starred on Floribama Shore — a Jersey Shore spinoff about twenty-somethings living together on Florida’s Gulf Coast — alongside Jeremiah Buoni, Codi Butts, Kortni Gilson, Nilsa Prowant, Candace Rice, and Gus Smyrnios.
On Instagram, Butts wrote, “It is with a heavy heart I have to say goodbye to my best friend. I love you so much. My heart is absolutely broken. I wish this was a bad dream that I could just wake up from. Thank you, Kirk, for giving me some of the best years of my life. You have made me a better person. I will forever love you and cherish our friendship!”
Prowant wrote, “Kirk was one of my favorite people in the whole world. Anytime you needed a friend, Kirk was always there. His laugh was contagious, you always wanted to hear more. He loved and lived life to the fullest.”
And in a statement to Deadline, MTV said, “We are deeply saddened to learn of the tragic passing of Kirk Medas, a beloved member of the Floribama Shore family. Our hearts go out to his family, friends, and fans during this difficult time.”