Gunter Nezhoda, best known for his appearance on A&E’s series Storage Wars, died in his sleep Tuesday night on March 23, just six months after being diagnosed with lung cancer. The reality star’s son and castmate Rene Nezhoda shared the sad news, telling TMZ that his younger brother Ricky was by their father’s side when he passed. He was 67 years old.
Nezhoda, who had been a smoker for roughly three decades, was diagnosed last September and was undergoing chemotherapy which had ultimately left holes in his lungs. It’s also reported the Do Not Disturb actor flew to Utah for an emergency procedure, but when he arrived, medical professionals determined that there was nothing else they could do.
Rene explained in an Instagram video he shared the news of his dad’s death because “I know that you guys connected with my dad.” He added, “He was one of the guys on Storage Wars who never really got any hate. Everyone loved working with my dad.”
According to his IMDb, Nezhoda was born in Austria but lived a significant portion of his life in Germany before moving to Las Vega in the ’90s. He ultimately became a skilled musician, playing bass with the likes of Pat Travers, Leslie West, Michael Schenker, George Lynch, Kevin Dubrow, and many more.
He was featured in over half a dozen episodes of the A&E competition series from 2015 to 2019. He reportedly filmed an episode with Rene for the upcoming season. Nezhoda was also a professional photographer whose photos were featured in dozens of magazines and ads — and by major brands such as Microsoft, Big-O Tires, Ford, and several others. He was best known for delivering impactful and captivating snapshots with any client he worked alongside.