Late Storage Wars star Darrell Sheets previously opened up about struggling with depression nearly a decade before his death.
“Depression is the Devil’s way of attacking us,” Sheets wrote via Instagram in June 2018. “It knows no mercy, it takes our smiles it comes and goes, it ruins our relationships, it takes away our happiness, it leads to suicide in some cases, it destroys all thoughts of positivity, it is a 24/7 battle and allows no rest for the suffering.”
Sheets added that depression is a “very real deal” and advised others to be sympathetic to those battling the mood disorder.
“So please next time someone tells you they have depression, be kind and know that they spend every minute they have breathing, suffering !!!” he concluded.
Us Weekly confirmed on Wednesday, April 22, that Sheets died by an apparent suicide. He was 67.
A spokesperson for the Lake Havasu City Police Department told Us that authorities responded to a call in the early morning hours on Wednesday. Officers were dispatched to an Arizona residence, where they discovered the reality star’s body. Sheets appeared to suffer from a self-inflicted gunshot, according to a press release.
An official cause of death has not been confirmed as the incident is under active investigation.
Darrell is survived by his son and Storage Wars costar, Brandon “The Sidebet” Sheets, and daughter Tiffany Shane Sheets. He was previously married to Kimber Wuerfel, whom he split from in 2016.
Darrell was best known for starring on Storage Wars from 2010 to 2023. The antique hunter was nicknamed “The Gambler” and had the iconic catchphrase, “This is the WOW factor!” Darrell departed from the series in 2023 after suffering a heart attack.
“We are saddened by the passing of a beloved member of our Storage Wars family, Darrell ‘The Gambler’ Sheets,” a spokesperson for A&E told Us on Wednesday. “Our thoughts are with his family and loved ones during this difficult time.”
Several of Darrell’s Storage Wars costars paid tribute to him following his death. While reflecting on their friendship outside the show, Darrell’s onscreen rival Rene Nezhoda claimed that Darrell was being cyberbullied prior to his death.
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“I know Darrell would want something positive out of this. He had a guy really tormenting him lately on cyberbullying,” Nezhoda said in a Wednesday video. “Just cause you watch us on television doesn’t mean you know us … it doesn’t mean you know what we’re about. Also it doesn’t entitle you to bully somebody.”
One month before his death, Darrell called out his alleged cyberbullies.
“I have been hacked by a very evil person,” he wrote via Facebook in March. “The clown. [The posts] are not done by me, they are being done by … very evil people. I’m not gay, I have made no posts about any children’s arcade owner, etc. I’m extremely sorry and sick over this.”
