Survivor’s Fan-Favorite Angie Jakusz Dies From Rare Cancer
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Angie Jakusz who appeared on Survivor: Palau in 2005 passed away on January 8. She battled a rare form of squamous cell colorectal cancer. The 40-year-old was diagnosed back in 2017.
‘Survivor’ Star Angie Jakusz Has Passed Away
Angie was 25 when she competed on Survivor and proved herself during the challenges. She received the nickname “No Fun Angie” by her tribemates. Initially, she was being targeted by some of her tribemates and her edgy look made her stand out. She became a fan-favorite of the show, but when her team failed to win challenges, she was on the chopping block.
She was eliminated from the show after a re-vote and received 13th place in one of the biggest blindsides in Survivor history. In her interview after the show, she said she was “miffed” after all of the twists and turns in the competition led up to her elimination. But she was still happy about the experience and kept a smile on her face. Angie later returned to Survivor to celebrate the 10-year anniversary.
“People have to remember back in 2005 women weren’t cast on Survivor with dreads and tattoos,” Angie’s fellow Survivor contestant Coby Archa told People. “She broke the casting barrier. Fans related to her story so much. And a lot of people wanted to see her play again for her strength.”
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“We had heard from her family three years ago that she was battling cancer,” he continued. “We raised some money for her treatments. She wasn’t into the fame, just the experience of Survivor. She came, she played, and she went back to her life in New Orleans. She liked her life that way.”
Coby posted side by side photos on Twitter of Angie and their fellow cast mate Jenn Lyon who passed away in 2010 from breast cancer.
Her Family Previously Started A Fundraiser To Pay For Treatment
The Wisconsin native moved to New Orleans and became a familiar face around the bar scene. Angie was married to Steven Calandra for 9 years. Her family held a graveside service on Wednesday. A GoFundMe page was previously created in 2018 when Angie was about to start treatment. Before Angie was able to qualify for insurance, her family and friends were looking to raise $30,000 for the cost of her treatment. The fundraiser has picked up in the past few hours with people donating to help cover funeral costs.
“Angie is an amazing, creative, fearless and all-around bad-ass woman,” the page said. “She’s a painter, designer, seamstress and baker. She’ll make you a custom corset, costume or cake! Angie was also a founding member of the New Orleans Noisician Coalition!”
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“Angie was an incredibly passionate person with an extraordinary lust for life” her obituary states. “Whether she was sewing, painting, drawing, doing nail art or makeup, costuming, reading, snorkeling, scuba diving, traveling or just raising hell, she did it lovingly and with laser precision.”
