Anika Rashaun, who appeared on MTV’s The Real World and The Challenge, has died at 34.
Rashaun died October 1, according to her friend Cyndi Rich. News of her death reached a wider audience on October 23 and 24, as former castmates joined longtime friends in sharing tributes.
She had been diagnosed with stage 4 breast cancer in the summer of 2025, her friend Tiara Ramos said, as PEOPLE reported.
Rich remembered four-hour telephone calls and conversations about their weddings. She described a friend balancing multiple jobs, travel and a crowded social calendar, according to Entertainment Weekly.
Tiara Ramos Remembered More Than Two Decades of Friendship
In her October 5 Substack tribute, titled “Breast Friends Forever: RIP to my Sister,” Ramos described a relationship that stretched from their teenage years into adulthood.
“She wasn’t just my friend. She was my other half,” Ramos wrote.
They had supported each other through family illnesses and losses. Ramos recalled how Rashaun stood beside her during her mother’s breast cancer and death, while she supported Rashaun as her grandparents developed dementia.
She also remembered her friend’s willingness to take chances: moving to Thailand without knowing anyone, going skydiving on a first date and starting businesses from childhood.
Even familiar songs carried memories of their friendship. Ramos wrote that early-2000s playlists reminded her of singing together in the car, while reaching for her phone to FaceTime Rashaun remained a reflex she struggled to stop.
Theo King-Bradley Shared Memories From Their Time on MTV
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Theo King-Bradley posted his tribute on October 23. He and Rashaun had appeared together on both MTV programs, and he remembered her being there for his first trip outside the United States.
As TVLine reported, he recalled their time at a resort in Thailand with fellow cast members Marie Roda and Bruno Bettencourt.
King-Bradley said he respected Rashaun for speaking honestly to him, including when she told him things he did not want to hear. He also remembered her calling him “Teddy.”
He regretted not seeing her one final time but said their last conversation was something he could revisit with a smile. Their photographs and videos, he wrote, would help him hold on to those memories.
Anika Rashaun’s Career Spanned MTV and Matchmaking
Rashaun joined The Real World: Seattle: Bad Blood in 2016. She was introduced as a Harlem native, a Pace University graduate and an aspiring television host.
The season brought people with unresolved conflicts into the house. Rashaun’s connection was her former boyfriend, Will Groomes.
She returned to MTV in 2017 for The Challenge: Invasion of the Champions, leaving the competition in its third episode.
Her work beyond television included ASKANIKA, her dating and relationship brand. Her business website said she entered the matchmaking industry in 2017 and worked for two national matchmaking companies.
Through ASKANIKA, she offered help rewriting dating profiles and a service that managed swiping, started conversations and arranged dates for clients.
She also offered practice dates with feedback on conversation and body language, along with consultations for people deciding whether to use a matchmaking company and what questions to ask before signing up.
Rashaun was training to become a licensed marriage and family therapist. She and Ramos also discussed their experiences with breast cancer in an October 2025 podcast conversation, “Breast Friends Forever: BFFs Battling BC.”
She Married Kyle Rehn on Valentine’s Day
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Rashaun married Kyle Rehn on February 14 in San Marcos, California, according to Page Six.
She shared a gallery from the celebration on February 27, introducing the couple in her caption as “Mr. and Mrs. Walker-Rehn” and including their wedding date.
In her tribute, Rich praised Kyle for remaining by Rashaun’s side through her illness. As Us Weekly reported, she also acknowledged the support of Rashaun’s parents, brother and Ramos.
“Kyle and I couldn’t imagine a more perfect day!” she wrote.