Former MythBusters and White Rabbit Project host Grant Imahara died suddenly Monday. He was 49.
In a statement delivered to news outlets, a spokesperson for Discovery, which aired the shows, said: “We are heartbroken to hear this sad news about Grant. He was an important part of our Discovery family and a really wonderful man. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family.”
The spokesperson declined to offer any details regarding the time or cause of death. Imahara died shortly after suffering a brain aneurysm, according to the Hollywood Reporter.
The trained electrical engineer and roboticist gained some of his experience at Lucasfilm’s THX division before heading to Industrial Light and Magic. During his time there, he worked on movies that included George Lucas’s Star Wars prequels, several Matrix movies, The Lost World: Jurassic Park, and Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines.
The California-born Imahara went on to co-host several hundred episodes of the popular MythBusters show on The Discovery Channel, starting out with season 3 in 2005 and working with the show until 2014.
Two years later, Imahara co-hosted a single season of Netflix’s White Rabbit Project alongside Tory Belleci and Kari Byron.
Soon after news broke of Imahara’s untimely passing, MythBusters co-host Adam Savage tweeted: “I’m at a loss. No words. I’ve been part of two big families with Grant Imahara over the last 22 years. Grant was a truly brilliant engineer, artist, and performer, but also just such a generous, easygoing, and gentle PERSON. Working with Grant was so much fun. I’ll miss my friend.”
I’m at a loss. No words. I’ve been part of two big families with Grant Imahara over the last 22 years. Grant was a truly brilliant engineer, artist and performer, but also just such a generous, easygoing, and gentle PERSON. Working with Grant was so much fun. I’ll miss my friend.
— Adam Savage (@donttrythis) July 14, 2020
Kari Byron tweeted simply: “Sometimes I wish I had a time machine” together with a photo of herself with Imahara.
Somedays I wish I had a time machine. @ToryBelleci @grantimahara pic.twitter.com/o9FRE2l16W
— Kari Byron (@KariByron) July 13, 2020
As news of his death spread on Monday night, those who Imahara inspired also began to pay tribute to a popular man who achieved much in a life cut tragically short.
Rest well Grant, you were a huge part of the group of people I looked up to and shaped my love for science and engineering. My heart goes out to his family friends and colleagues. #GrantImahara pic.twitter.com/g8s9dWfQJN
— HELP THE BEAR! (@_Ghost_Blerd) July 14, 2020
So sad, this guy is one of the reasons I became an engineer. Thank you for getting myself and others into science and engineering with your exuberance and passion. Seemed like a lovely man too. Rip #grantimahara pic.twitter.com/s2uNmZRFKm
— E (@SeagerFever) July 14, 2020
