‘Shipping Wars’ star Roy Garber dead at 49 after heart attack; A&E responds

There’s a little bit of breaking news that we want to pass along tonight, and it revolves around someone who developed quite a fanbase on A&E: “Shipping Wars” star Roy Garber.

According to TMZ, Garber was admitted to a hospital on Friday after suffering from a heart attack in Texas, and he passed away not long after due to complications of it. He was 49 years old.  His death was confirmed by his girlfriend, and prior to passing Garber did have a history of heart problems. Even with that being said, news of his death must still be shocking to all who knew him.

In a statement, A&E remembered the man by saying that they are “deeply saddened by the loss of a member of the A&E family.” What tends to make the deaths of many reality stars even more impactful than other celebrities is that over time, many start to believe that they actually do know some of these people after watching their various exploits over the years. Also, many of the stars such as “Storage Wars” or this show entered the world of television a little bit later in life, and they were already a little established at that time. They know their personality, and therefore come across as a million times more genuine.

As for the future of “Shipping Wars,” there is already a history of many reality shows with ensembles finding a way to honor the loss of a loved one, and then moving forward. Let’s just hope that there is the time given to do so in the midst of what is a crazy production, especially when the show’s episodes are often so standalone like many others in this particular genre.

Of course, thoughts and condolences are with Roy’s family and loved ones during this extremely difficult time.

Photo: A&E