Fans of Big Brother are grieving the loss of Amber Siyavus, one of the most unforgettable contestants from the reality show’s eighth season.
Siyavus passed away on Friday, October 9, in Clark County, Nevada, according to records maintained by the Clark County Office of the Coroner/Medical Examiner.
She was 46 years old.
Troubled final years before death
The cause and manner of her death have not yet been established, and the investigation is ongoing. TMZ was the first media outlet to report her passing.
Fans who watched the 2007 season will likely remember Amber well. She was highly emotional during her time inside the Big Brother house, often breaking down in tears. Her frequent crying eventually earned her the nickname “Whamber.”
Amber remained in the house for more than 60 days before finishing the competition in seventh place.
Throughout the season, she spoke candidly about her daughter, Lexi Tomcavage, and developed strong friendships with fellow contestants Dustin Erikstrup and Jameka Cameron.
After the news of Amber’s death emerged, longtime Big Brother host Julie Chen Moonves posted a video clip from her 2007 interview with Amber, accompanied by a heartfelt tribute to the former houseguest.
Big Brother 8 cast members Jessica Hughbanks, Amber Siyavus, and Jameka Cameron attend the 2007 Fox Reality Channel Really Awards at Boulevard 3 on October 2, 2007, in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)
“Rest in Peace Amber. Hard to believe but I know you are back in our eternal home with our Creator,” Chen Moonves wrote. “Thank you for your heart and honesty. We will remember you with love ❤️.”
Behind her reality-TV recognition, however, Amber faced serious personal difficulties and endured heartbreaking experiences that many viewers may never have known about.
In 2018, she experienced a devastating tragedy when her 18-year-old daughter, Lexi, died in Ohio in a case investigated as an apparent suicide. Amber had frequently discussed her daughter while competing on Big Brother more than ten years earlier.
In the years leading up to her death, Amber also encountered several legal difficulties. Court documents reviewed by TMZ show that she pleaded guilty in 2020 to attempting to resist an officer with a dangerous weapon. Prosecutors alleged that she attempted to drive away while a Henderson, Nevada, police officer was partly inside her vehicle.
She was given a suspended prison sentence of 19 to 48 months and could face up to four years of probation. The court also ordered her to undergo substance abuse and mental health evaluations.
No longer under court supervision
In that same year, Amber also admitted guilt to felony forgery related to Western Union money orders. This case resulted in a separate suspended prison sentence and a probation period of up to two years.
By 2023, she was no longer under court supervision for either offense.
Nevertheless, many Big Brother fans will remember Amber less for her legal difficulties and more for the sensitive, emotionally open person they watched on television in 2007.
She joined the show after working as a server at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas and soon became a member of the season’s “Late Night Crew.” Although Dick Donato ultimately won the season, Amber made a lasting impression on the program and its audience.
Big Brother personality Amber Siyavus attends the 2007 Fox Reality Channel Really Awards at Boulevard 3 on October 2, 2007, in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images for Fox)
Today, fans are remembering Amber once more, following the heartbreaking news that her life ended tragically at the age of just 46.
Chen Moonves’ words may remain one of the most meaningful tributes to the woman audiences came to know all those years ago:
“Thank you for your heart and honesty. We will remember you with love ❤️.”