Season 2 'Catfish' Cast Member Michael Fortunato Dead At 26

Cast Member Dead at 26

Reality News: This is some shocking news. One of the cast members of the current season of "Catfish" has passed away.  According to MTV Michael Fortunato, who appeared on this season's episode Ashley & Mike" died on Saturday from a pulmonary embolism

Here is the full report

An autopsy has yet to be released, but Mike's younger sister, Gena, confirmed the death to MTV News Monday night. A spokesperson for the Farmington, Connecticut, chief medical examiner's office told MTV News that Fortunato died at Hartford Hospital as a result of a pulmonary embolism due to deep vein thrombosis, with other significant contributing factors including obesity and cardiomyopathy.

A pulmonary embolism is a blockage of one of the main arteries of the lung, typically caused by a blood clot that starts in the legs or pelvis and travels to the lungs. Cardiomyopathy is a disease that weakens or causes the enlargement of the heart muscle, making it harder for your heart to pump blood and deliver it to the other parts of the body, often resulting in heart failure.

"We are deeply saddened by the loss of Michael Fortunato," read a statement from an MTV spokesperson. "Our condolences, thoughts and prayers are with his family at this time."