Swamp People star Mitchell Guist died this morning. Assumption Parish Sheriff Mike Waguespack tells WBRZ the incident occurred around 9 a.m. in St. Martin Parish along the Belle River. Law enforcement sources tell TMZ “someone tried to perform CPR on Guist … but attempts to resuscitate the reality star were unsuccessful.” Friends close to Guist tell the site he had recently fallen ill, but there are no further details at this time.
UPDATE – According to law enforcement sources for TMZ, “Mitchell was out in his boat along the Belle River … when he ‘fell.’ Witnesses say he appeared to have been suffering from a seizure.
We’re told another person on the boat returned the vessel to the dock and called 911. Emergency personnel responded to the scene and transported Mitchell to a nearby hospital … but it was too late.”
Mitchell Guist was half of the infamous Guist Brothers tandem that included brother Glenn Guist. (Read our Guist brothers profile post here) The duo were unique to the show because, unlike all the other major cast members, the Guist brothers aren’t really alligator hunters. As a matter of fact, it could be argued they are the reason the show is called Swamp People instead of Alligator Men or something along those lines, because all of their segments are about living in and off of the swamp.
Here’s a funny video intro to the duo where they talk about themselves and a couple of their seemingly innumerable misadventures in the swamp:
Glenn and Mitchell Guist were good spirited, not spectacularly groomed, and always wiley as they invited us along for things most of us consider mundane tasks, such as getting lunch. For the Guist brothers, getting lunch involves gathering worms, setting hooks, pulling in alligator gar, lighting a fire…
Mitchell Guist (seen on the right in the photo above with brother Glenn) was much loved by fans of the show, fans that account for more than 5 million viewers per episode, which doesn’t even include the repeats and marathons. We here are starcasm are huge fans as well and are greatly saddened to hear of Mitchell’s passing. We wish his family, especially brother Glenn Guist, the best.
Rest in peace Mitchell.
