‘Project Runway’ Season 3 Fan Favorite Mychael Knight Dead At 39

“Project Runway” Season 3 contestant Mychael Knight passed away on Tuesday. He was 39.

According to Obvious magazine, the designer died at 7:25 a.m. outside Atlanta, Georgia while surrounded by his loved ones. As of late, his cause of death hasn’t been revealed, and his family is also asking for their privacy to be respected.

“We are still processing the untimely death of our son, brother, friend and uncle. Mychael meant everything to us and we loved him dearly. He was generous and so full of life. This is how we choose to remember his legacly,” Knight’s family said in a statement.

According to Entertainment Tonight, Knight won the hearts of his peers and fans after he competed in “Project Runway” Season 3 in 2006. At that time, he was also named as the Fan Favorite. A year later, he launched his clothing line and designed for Starbucks. In 2008, he launched his lingerie label, Kitty & Dick, for both men and women. In the same year, he also introduced his unisex perfume, MajK.

In 2009, he participated in the “Project Runway: All Star Challenge” that aired on Lifetime. He was joined by some of the other contestants from Seasons 2 to 5. The special one-shot competition named Daniel Vosovic as winner, and he brought home $100,000. In 2013, Knight appeared in “Project Runway: All Stars” Season 3.

Knight was born on Apr. 11, 1978 in Germany, but he spent most of his childhood in Alabama. He graduated from high school at Washingtonville Senior High School in New York. He began his freshman year in college at Georgia Southern University. In 2001, he graduated from the university with a degree in Apparel Design and Merchandising.

His good friend, Jerris Madison, also remembered Knight as a friend who helped boost his confidence after he was diagnosed with a rare form of bone cancer. “I once complained how designer’s aren’t making clothes for people like me. Mychael’s immediate response was, ‘I got you. Give me a few days to sketch something for you.’ A few days later, Madison checked his email, and the sketches were there.