Scott Alexander, the magician who made it to the quarter-finals on season 6 of America’s Got Talent in 2011, died at the age of 52. Scott’s wife, Jenny Alexander, announced his tragic passing on Instagram Feb. 6. “I lost my husband yesterday. My kids lost their father,” Jenny wrote, alongside photos of the couple with their three children. “He suffered a stroke while working on a cruise ship in St Kitts and did not make it home to us,” Jenny revealed. “We are shattered. Please hold us in your prayers. ❤️.”
Scott was one of the most memorable contestants on season 6 of AGT. In his audition, he made his wife Jenny (also his assistant) appear out of thin air and then levitate with water. Judges Piers Morgan, Sharon Osbourne, and Howie Mandel were so impressed with Scott’s audition and he moved onto the next round.
Scott was eventually eliminated in the quarterfinals after he performed an illusion where a gospel choir disappeared and then reappeared. The winner of that season was jazz singer Landau Eugene Murphy Jr. After AGT, Scott appeared on season 2 of Penn & Teller: Fool Us, the magic competition series created by Penn Jillette and Teller.
Sadly, Scott’s not the first AGT alum to pass away. Most recently, season 15 contestant Nolan Neal died of “acute combined drug toxicity” at the age of 41 in July 2022. Nolan was found dead in his apartment in Nashville. The cause of death was revealed three months later.
In Dec. 2021, season 8 contestant Skilyr Hicks died at the age of 23. It was reported that Skilyr passed away of a possible drug overdose, though that was never confirmed. It’s been such a tragedy that multiple America’s Got Talent contestants have died in the last couple years.