Troy Dean Shafer, a reality star who showcased his contracting skills on the DIY Network’s “Nashville Flipped,” died unexpectedly late last month. He was 38.
“The DIY Network family is sorry to hear about the passing of Troy Dean Shafer, a dedicated, driven entrepreneur and restoration expert who was admired by everyone who worked on the series ‘Nashville Flipped,'” the network said in a statement to CNN. “We continue to extend our deepest condolences to Troy’s family and friends during this difficult time.”
Shafer died on April 28, according to an obituary. He was known for his DIY Network show “Nashville Flipped,” where he bought and renovated historic homes for two seasons from 2016 to 2017.
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“Nashville Flipped” aired on the DIY Network for two seasons and was not in production at the time of Shafer’s death, the network said.
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In October, Shafer excitedly posted to Instagram about the airing of a show of his, which he’d hoped would get a full season order, called “Restoring Nashville:”
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Though a cause of death was not previously released, Shafer’s brother, Tim, told TMZ that the late DIY Network star died in his sleep on April 28. Shafer didn’t have any known medical conditions, so his death has left his family in shock.
The coroner confirmed to TMZ that an autopsy was not performed, and a toxicology report will be finalized in the coming weeks.
A small private burial was held for Shafer.
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According to Shafer’s bio on DIY Network, he grew up in Pennsylvania and graduated from Penn State Behrend School of Business.
He moved to Nashville to pursue music, but soon shifted his career to focus on historic home restoration and use his construction background.
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“I guess I realized after a few years that I wasn’t all that passionate about music and could be more passionate about something (else),” Shafer said in a 2016 interview with the Erie Times-News. “My father did construction. He built new homes. I worked with him a lot and certainly appreciated the trade, but I really didn’t have any interest in it growing up. It didn’t come full circle until years later and 600 miles away.”
After a chance meeting with Mike Wolfe of “American Pickers,” Shafer realized his renovation skills could potentially be featured on a home network series. That’s when he began flipping the idea for “Nashville Flipped.”
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“The whole point of the show, the whole point of my career, is paying homage to the history of each house: who owned it, the style and location of the home, and keeping everything as original and accurate as possible but with modern-day amenities,” Shafer said of the show.
He is survived by his parents, Timothy and Janet Shafer; brother, Tim N. Shafer; one niece, Samantha Shafer; and “several aunts, uncles, and cousins,” according to his obituary.
Written by Sandra Gonzalez for CNN. Additional reporting by Simplemost staff.
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