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Ben Watkins, a former “MasterChef Junior” competitor, has passed away. He was 14 years old.
The young chef died at a children’s hospital in Chicago on Monday, his family’s lawyer, Trent A. McCain, told Fox News on Tuesday.
Watkins was battling a rare disease known as angiomatoid fibrous histiocytoma. Only six people worldwide have been diagnosed with it, McCain said.
Watkins entered the sixth season of the cooking competition hosted by Gordon Ramsay.
BEN WATKINS, 13, THE ‘MASTERCHEF JUNIOR’ STAR, TUMOR DIAGNOSIS 3 YEARS AFTER THE DEATH OF HIS PARENTS, SAYS THE FAMILY
Ben Watkins on season 6 of “MasterChef Junior”. He died at the age of 14 after battling a rare disease known as angiomatoid fibrous histiocytoma.
His death was also announced in a statement from his family on a GoFundMe page.
“Our Ben returned home to be with his mother Monday afternoon after a year-and-a-half-year battle with cancer,” the statement read.
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Ben’s parents died in a murder-suicide in 2017, just months before the season six premiere of “MasterChef Junior”. He was taken care of by his uncle after his operation, McCain said.
“Ben was and always will be the strongest person we know. When Ben’s rare disease was shared with the world, he was so encouraged by the outpouring of love he received from all over the world. globe – especially here in her hometown of Gary, Indiana, “the statement continued.” We cannot thank this community enough for supporting our family in prayer and for all that you have done. “
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The family concluded by saying that they had “taken comfort” knowing that Watkins was no longer in pain and that “he was loved by so many people.”
“# Love4Ben,” they added.
Ramsay, 54, also paid tribute on social media Tuesday.
“We lost a cooking master @MasterChefJrFOX today,” he wrote alongside a photo of the young chef. “Ben, you were an incredibly talented home cook and an even stronger young man. Your young life had so many tough turns but you always persevered. Sending all the love to the Ben Watkins family with this terrible loss.”
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After news of Watkins’ diagnosis became public, Ramsey and several “Junior MasterChef” judges and contestants appeared in a video to wish their friend good luck and to encourage fans to donate to his GoFundMe.
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