A reality television star with ties to Bravo has died. According to CBS News, Naomi Pomeroy of “Top Chef Masters” fame died in a water tubing accident in the Willamette River in Oregon. Pomeroy drowned when she was pulled under water and trapped, according to local authorities.
“BCSO marine deputies arrived shortly after, located a deceased female on a shallow section of bedrock near the middle of the river with about one to two feet of water,” the Benton County Sheriff’s Office said, per CBS News.
Pomeroy was a contestant on season 3 of “Top Chef Masters” back in 2011. She was brought back to the show as a guest judge on “Top Chef” for seasons 10, 15, and 18.
The restaurateur had been out on the water with her husband and some friends on Saturday, July 13 when the accident occurred.
Padma Lakshmi Released a Statement About Naomi Pomeroy
Padma Lakshmi knew Pomeroy quite well as the two appeared together on the “Top Chef” franchise, of which Lakshmi serves as the host. She released a statement on Instagram days after learning of Pomeroy’s death.
“I am deeply saddened to hear of the untimely death of chef Naomi Pomeroy. She was always a welcome presence at judges table and I was blessed to get to know this inspiring woman over the years. My condolences to her loved ones, what an incredible loss to our community,” Lakshmi captioned an Instagram post on July 18.
Fans took to the comments section of Lakshmi’s post to share their condolences.
“What a tragedy. I’m so sorry for the loss of your friend,” one person wrote.
“Oh no! She was so young and still so much to do! She will be missed,” someone else said.
“Oh no! So sad. My condolences and love to you and her family,” a third comment read.
Naomi Pomeroy’s Body Was Recovered Less Than 1 Week After the Accident
On July 17, the Benton County Sheriff’s Office posted an update about Pomeroy; her body had been recovered..
“The deceased body of Naomi Pomeroy was located on the Willamette River about a half mile upstream of Hyak Park between Corvallis and Albany,” the Facebook update read.
“People canoeing on the river spotted a body and called 9-1-1. BCSO marine deputies arrived shortly after, located a deceased female on a shallow section of bedrock near the middle of the river with about one to two feet of water. According to the victim’s description, the female was identified as Naomi Pomeroy, missing since July 13, 2024,” the statement continued.
Pomeroy body was transported to a funeral home for services.
READ NEXT: RHOBH Star Looks Unrecognizable in New Pic
Like Heavy.com’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on Heavy.com
The post Bravo Star Dies in Freak Accident, Co-Star Releases Statement: ‘Incredible Loss’ appeared first on Heavy.com.