Stars of Channel Seven’s Bride and Prejudice have shared heartbreaking tributes to contestant Micah Downey, who died suddenly on Thursday at the age of 26.
As Mr Downey’s heavily pregnant ex-fiancée Milly Johnson, 23, prepares to welcome their second child, co-star Tori Ciseau said the 2019 cast will always be there for her.
‘We love you so much, Milly. We will always be there for you no matter what you need. Micah will be watching over you and your boys always remember that,’ she wrote on Instagram.
Seyat Abazovski, who appeared on Bride and Prejudice’s second season in 2018, also commented: ‘Sorry for your loss. Wish you all the best.’
Sad loss: Stars of Channel Seven’s Bride and Prejudice have shared heartbreaking tributes to contestant Micah Downey (pictured), who died suddenly on Thursday at the age of 26
Ms Johnson shared the sad news with her Instagram followers on Tuesday.
‘It is so sad and unbelievably surreal that I am making this post. On the 28 December 2019 Micah Patrick Downey passed away,’ she wrote.
‘I am struggling to put into words how sad and heartbreaking this is, I just hope he is at peace wherever he is and that he will always be watching over his babies.
‘A bad, bad dream. I can’t believe you’re not here. Rest In Peace Micah.’
Support: As Mr Downey’s heavily pregnant ex-fiancée Milly Johnson, 23, (pictured) prepares to welcome their second child, co-star Tori Ciseau said the 2019 cast will always be there for her
‘We love you so much Milly, we will always be there for you no matter what you need. Micah will be watching over you and your boys always remember that,’ Ms Ciseau said
Shock: Seyat Abazovski, who starred on the show’s second season, commented on Ms Johnson’s Instagram, ‘Sorry for your loss. Wish you all the best’
Her post was flooded with thousands of supportive comments from fans of the reality show.
‘That’s absolutely awful news, hope you and your babies are okay,’ one person wrote.
‘So sorry to hear about this. I’m sure wherever he is, he will be with his babies,’ commented.
Mr Downey’s cause of death is unknown. Daily Mail Australia has contacted police in Huntington Beach, California, where he lived.
‘Unbelievably surreal’: Mr Downey’s ex-fiancee from the Australian reality TV show, Milly Johnson, shared the sad news with her followers in an emotional Instagram post on Tuesday
Mr Downey had a son, Julian, as well as another child on the way with Ms Johnson before his tragic death.
The couple had cut ties while filming Bride and Prejudice and Mr Downey had moved back to America.
Channel Seven released a statement on Tuesday, saying: ‘The team at Bride and Prejudice is devastated by the news of the loss of Micah Downey.
‘Our thoughts and deepest sympathies are with his family and friends at this incredibly difficult time.’
After their split, Ms Johnson told her Instagram followers the pair ‘rarely spoke’, and announced she was pregnant with his child.
‘We are on speaking terms but rarely speak to one another,’ she said during an Q&A session on November 28.
‘I still have my days that I get sad as I think any parent would ideally love to raise their children with the other parent in a healthy relationship.’
Heartbreak: Ms Johnson and Mr Downey went on the Channel 7 reality dating show to repair their troubled relationship but split before they were due to wed in November
She later admitted to feeling ‘anxious’ about becoming a single mother, but overall was finding her second pregnancy less ‘stressful’ than her first.
The pair went on Bride and Prejudice to repair their troubled relationship, but they split before walking down the aisle.
Ms Johnson called off her wedding to Micah during an episode in November, after revealing she was worried that his use of alcohol and marijuana would be a bad influence on their son, Julian.
She said on the program: ‘He’s not well and he needs a lot of help and I feel for him because I do love him, but he’s just really, made progress.
‘And I thought he had. I’m so sad because I don’t want Julian to grow up to be like that. He just doesn’t need a role model like that.’
Future: Ms Johnson admitted after their split to feeling ‘anxious’ about becoming a single mother, but overall was finding her second pregnancy less ‘stressful’ than her first
During the same episode, Mr Downey attended the wedding of another couple on the show while Ms Johnson stayed at home.
‘If you breathalysed me at this point you’d probably break the machine,’ he slurred to wedding guests. ‘Anger and alcohol is a good mix.’
He added that, instead of seeing Ms Johnson, he was ‘going to hang out with friends, have a little pot, smoke some weed and have a good time, Cali style.’
Fears: On the show, Ms Johnson said she was worried that Mr Downey’s use of alcohol and marijuana would be a bad influence on their son Julian