Anika Rashaun of ‘The Real World’ and ‘The Challenge’ fame has died, just over a year after being diagnosed with stage 4 breast cancer. She was 34 years old.
Fans may remember Anika from her MTV debut on ‘Real World Seattle: Bad Blood’ in 2016. After appearing on the series, she went on to appear on ‘The Challenge: Invasion of the Champions,’ where she competed as one of 18 rookies vying for a ‘Challenge’ win against eight former champs.
The Tab reports that the news of Anika’s death was revealed by her best friend, Tiara Ramos, in a tribute posted to Substack earlier this month.
“Last summer, my best friend and sister was diagnosed with stage 4 breast cancer,” she wrote. “Her diagnosis was a shock. Despite her mother having breast cancer years earlier, she was never identified as high-risk or told by her doctors to prioritize mammograms. That was one of the many failures she experienced within the medical system during her time battling cancer. But that is a story for another day.
“Today, I want to honor my best friend for the woman she was and the life she lived,” Tiara continued.
In addition to being best friends, Anika and Tiara co-hosted a podcast together in 2025 called ‘Breast Friends Forever: BFFs Battling BC,’ where they spoke candidly about their respective breast cancer diagnoses. (Tiara was reportedly diagnosed with the disease in August 2025; she completed chemotherapy in February of this year.)
After leaving the reality TV world in 2017, Anika went on to become a dating coach and matchmaker. In February, she became a bride herself, marrying husband, Kyle Walker-Rehn.
Months before she and Kyle said “I do,” Anika acknowledged on social media the “everything but normal” year they’d had, noting the “many ups and downs and changes [they] had to endure and work around.”
“ … I’m happy that the one thing that remained the same was our love for each other,” she wrote. “I can’t wait to be your wifey. I love you forever.”
On Friday, tributes to Anika began pouring in on social media, including one heartfelt post from her ‘Real World’ and ‘Challenge’ co-star Theo King-Bradley.
“ … I’ve been doing everything else to keep my mind off the fact that you’re not here,” Theo wrote. “I’ve genuinely been sad as hell since hearing you passed. I’m sad I didn’t get to see you one last time. But the last time and conversation we had with each other I can cherish and play it back in my mind to smile.”
Marie Roda, who competed alongside Anika on ‘Invasion of the Champions’ also took to social media to react to the news.
“Just got devastating news,” she wrote. “Anika, you were always a bright light. Passionate, intelligent, beautiful, and kind. Rest in the sweetest peace angel.”
Anika is the second former ‘Real World’/‘Challenge’ star to pass away this year. In August, two-time ‘Challenge’ champ Tyler Duckworth died at the age of 44, just weeks after attending a “Challenge Mania” fan event in his hometown of Minneapolis, Minnesota.
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(Photos: MTV; Instagram)
