There’s some sad news for fans of a popular Discovery Channel show. Duane Ollinger starred on Mystery at Blind Frog Ranch. We’ve learned today that he has died.
For years the program focused on Duane and his son Chad hunting for a cache of lost Aztec gold. The belief was that it was lying beneath their property in Utah. Locals for a long time claimed the land was cursed, but Duane’s mission remained to try to seek out that gold. Sadly, Duane passed away on Tuesday.
In the show, Duane led the charge to find this treasure that he has spent years hunting for. Due to his health issues, Duane left the show after Season 5, passing the torch over to Josh Feldman as the new star.
The reality star has died at 68
This sad news comes as we’re fresh into a season of Mystery at Blind Frog Ranch. A family source confirmed to TMZ that Duane died in a Texas hospital on Tuesday. He had been battling ALS. The Texas oilman’s exploits and optimism to find this treasure quickly endeared him to audiences.
The tributes have been pouring in since word of Duane’s death came to light. On his X account yesterday, Ryan Skinner, one of Duane’s castmates on the show, penned a tribute to the late star. Ryan called Duane “a force of constant positivity, empathy, & encouragement to everyone.” Ryan noted how much he admired Duane’s carefree attitude. He notes that Duane was never bothered by what anyone thought about his belief that gold was out there.
While Duane left the show to address health issues, his son left for other reasons. Last year, Chad left the program after his legal issues were piling up. In December, he was arrested for an alleged murder. That reportedly took place behind bars, with guards finding his cellmate motionless. Chad was deemed legally incompetent in January of this year, and he underwent treatment at a mental health facility.
You can stream episodes of Mystery at Blind Frog Ranch on Discovery.
FEEL FREE TO LEAVE YOUR MESSAGES OF SUPPORT FOR DUANE OLLINGER’S FAMILY BELOW.
