A group of "Survivor" contestants, break into laughter during a live town hall meeting at CBS Studios in Hollywood in Los Angeles on Aug. 23, 2000. Survivors are, from left, bottom row, Susan Hawk, Rudy Boesch, Kelly Wiglesworth and Richard Hatch, covering his face, top row, Greg Buis, Jenna Lewis, Gervase Peterson, Colleen Haskell and Sean Kenniff. (Kevork Djansezian/AP Photo)
Rudy Boesch, a retired tough-as-nails Navy SEAL and fan favorite on the inaugural season of “Survivor,” has died after a long battle with Alzheimer’s disease. He was 91.
Director of operations for the Seal Veterans Foundation, Steve Gonzalez, said Boesch died peacefully Friday night in hospice care in Virginia Beach, Virginia. He was surrounded by loved ones.
Survivor All-star Rudy Boesch attends the Survivor Allstars Finale at Madison Square Garden, in New York City, on May 9, 2004. (Paul Hawthorne/Getty Images)
Boesch joined the Navy in 1944 and retired in 1990. He completed two tours in Vietnam and earned a Bronze Star.
He was 72 when he took third place on CBS’ “Survivor.” He proved to be so popular as a no-nonsense but loveable character that he was invited back for the eighth season, “Survivor: All Stars.”
Gonzalez called Boesch a “legend in the SEAL Teams.”
Funeral arrangements were not immediately announced.
Contestants from L-R: Rich Hatch, Rudy Boesch, Susan Hawk and Kelly Wiglesworth arrive for the “Survivor: The Reunion” party at the CBS studios in Los Angeles, Calif., Aug. 23, 2000. (Online USA/Getty Images)
Notable Celebrity Deaths in 2019
Ric Ocasek
Singer Ric Ocasek and model Paulina Porizkova attend the 20th Anniversary Celebration of the Children’s Defense Fund’s Beat the Odds Program at Guastavino’s in New York City on Dec. 6, 2010. (Michael Loccisano/Getty Images)
Eddie Money
Musician Eddie Money performs on stage during the iHeart80s Party 2017 at SAP Center in San Jose, Calif., on Jan. 28, 2017. (Time Mosenfelder/Getty Images)
Peter Fonda
Peter Fonda, poses atop a Harley-Davidson motorcycle in Glendale, Calif., on Oct. 23, 2009. (Chris Pizzello/AP Photo)
Beth Chapman
Duane ‘Dog the Bounty Hunter” Chapman (L) and Beth Chapman attend the Vettys Presidential Inaugural Ball at Hay-Adams Hotel in Washington, on Jan. 20, 2017. (Teresa Kroeger/Getty Images)
Doris Day
Actress and animal rights activist Doris Day poses for photos on Jan. 28, 1989, after receiving the Cecil B. DeMille Award she was presented with at the annual Golden Globe Awards ceremony in Los Angeles. (AP Photo)
John Singleton
John Singleton arrives at the 70th annual Directors Guild of America Awards in Beverly Hills, CA., on Feb. 3, 2018. (Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)
Nipsey Hussle
Nipsey Hussle and Lauren London in Los Angeles, on Feb. 7, 2019. The rapper was shot dead in late March. (Gregg DeGuire/Getty Images)
Luke Perry
Luke Perry from “Riverdale” speaks onstage at the CW Network portion of the Summer 2018 TCA Press Tour at The Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, Calif, on Aug. 6, 2018. (Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images)
Peter Tork
Peter Tork of the Monkees passed away at 77 in February 2019 (Getty Images | Noel Vasquez)
Albert Finney
British actor Albert Finney died in February 2019 at the age of 82. (Lucy Nicholson/AFP/Getty Images)
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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