ROBBINSVILLE, N.C. — Lance Waldroup, a bootlegger featured in the Discovery Channel’s reality series “Moonshiners,” died Feb. 25 in Robbinsville, North Carolina. He was 30.
The network confirmed Waldroup’s death in Facebook and Twitter posts on Monday.
“We are saddened to hear about the loss of Lance Waldroup,” the posts said. “An adventurous distiller who was featured alongside his father throughout the early seasons of Moonshiners, Lance was always looking to take his flavorful recipes of ‘shine to new heights.”
A cause of death has not yet been revealed. However, a GoFundMe page set up by his family to raise money for a memorial fund says the death was “unexpected.”
Lance Waldroup appeared in 55 episodes of “Moonshiners” from 2012 to 2019, according to IMDb.com.
According to his obituary, Waldroup was a member of a family that made moonshine, a homemade liquor, in western North Carolina. He appeared on “Moonshiners” along with his father, Jeff Waldroup, who was featured in 68 episodes from 2012 to 2019.
Lance Waldroup lost two siblings to cystic fibrosis, according to his GoFundMe page. He also became an addict for several years and went to rehab to recover.
According to Variety, Waldroup quit “Moonshiners” to take care of his mother, Lynn Cape Waldroup, after she was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis.
A memorial service for Waldroup is set for Saturday at the Cedar Cliff Baptist Church in Robbinsville, according to the GoFundMe page.
The GoFundMe page has raised more than $10,200 as of late Friday night.