Former “Big Brother” Season 1 houseguest Cassandra Waldon died at the age of 56, two months after a car crash in Italy.
According to Deadline Hollywood, Waldon never regained consciousness after suffering a head injury during the accident. The news outlet also reported that she died in late September.
Waldon worked at the United Nations in Rome, but she is best known for being the first “Big Brother” contestant to enter the show’s famed house in 2000.
Julie Chen, the longtime host of the program, wrote about her passing.
“Rest In Peace Cassandra. Your light will continue to shine in this world because of the way you lived your life: with class and grace,” Chen wrote on social media. “May your family and loved ones find solace and peace. Thank you for bringing your intelligence, warmth, and wisdom to the Big Brother house Season 1. You are in my thoughts and in my prayers. May God Bless your soul.”
U.N. Secretary-General Spokesman Stéphane Dujarric issued a statement about her death, according to a press briefing.
“On a sad note, I want to extend our condolences to the family of our colleague Cassandra Waldon, the Director of Communications at the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), who passed away this week. She was a delightful and dedicated colleague and we were sad to learn of her passing,” the transcript read.
On the first season of “Big Brother,” Waldon placed sixth out of 10.
“When there are many different opportunities and you have to decide which path to go down on, it’s important to go where your passions lie and be okay when down the course of your career those passions change and stray from what you originally planned,” the former reality star had said, according to People magazine.
TMZ reported that a funeral will be held next week in her home state of Maryland.
Other details about her death are not yet clear.
