Known Naked and Afraid contestant, Sarah Danser, has died at 34 after suffering a car crash in Kahala, Hawaii on Sunday, October 20. According to Honolulu police, a 59-year-old driver lost control of his vehicle, impacting the vehicle in which Danser was a passenger. She was hospitalized and later succumbed to her injuries on Tuesday, October 22.
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Police reports show that Danser's vehicle was parked at the moment of the collision. She sat on the passenger's seat and was in critical condition once she reached the hospital. The 59-year-old man who lost control of his vehicle, causing the crash, is also hospitalized and in serious condition.
Additionally, another woman who was in the parked car is in serious condition. Another man who occupied another seat in the car has refused treatment, according to KSLA News. There appears to be no alcohol or drugs involved in the crash. It is described as speed-related by police, according to the outlet.
Remembering Sarah Danser
After learning about her passing, Danser's family talked with media outlets and posted on social media, remembering the 34-year-old who described herself as a pirate. "Magical is the way to describe her. Sarah had this positive energy about her that just really filled the environment that she was in," said Jake Danser, her brother.
"I actually saw how much of a difference she made in the lives of others," her father, Dan Danser, said. "I think she saved my life once, diving in Indonesia."
According to PEOPLE, Melissa Lauren, Danser's Naked and Afraid co-star, posted a tribute on Facebook, talking very fondly about Sarah. "Sarah was [one] of the most adventurous souls I've ever met. She wasn't only a fierce survivalist on Naked and Afraid (she completed XL in South Africa with me), but a Breast Cancer survivor who kept an inspiring and positive attitude through her treatment," said Lauren. Danser was a two-time breast cancer survivor.
"She loved the ocean, nature and exploring - I always considered her a 'modern day pirate.' She was one of those people that saw the world through the eyes of a child, in awe of the things that many of us take for granted," Lauren continued. "Rest easy Sarah, I know youre out there exploring somewhere"·
Island Divers Hawaii, Sarah Danser's workplace, also posted on Facebook. "Heavy hearts as we say goodbye to a good friend and great captain. Sarah brought such great energy to everyone she came in contact with. You will be greatly missed," reads the post.
