The Challenge’s CT and Derrick Reflect on Diem Brown’s Legacy Nearly 10 Years After Her Death

Diem Brown’s costars will always keep her memory close.

As seen in E! News' exclusive sneak peek at The Challenge 40: Battle of the Eras' launch special, airing Aug. 7, the MTV alum—who died in 2014 following a battle with ovarian cancer—is honored with a memorable picture from her time on the competitive series.

It’s an image that CT Tamburello, who dated Diem for nearly two years until 2009, couldn’t help but to stop in front of after taking all the memories in.

“You can’t help but feel nostalgic walking in,” CT shared in a confessional, “and seeing all these banners, you know? Just every time you look at a banner or flag, you get [the] rush, the memories.”

But CT wasn’t the only one that became emotional over seeing the image of Diem, who was open about her health journey during her times on the series, wearing a blue bandanna.

“Diem was such an important person in the Challenge universe,” Derrick Kosinski explained, “and to see our queen just looking over us, it’s just a beautiful thing to have.”

Diem, who was first diagnosed with ovarian cancer at 23 years old, died in November 2014 following her yearslong health battle. She was 34.

Prior to her passing, the reality star credited her ex CT with giving her "confidence and the push" to return to the series after finishing her treatment.

"I don't need to be ashamed or scared," she shared in 2006 after her elimination. "I feel so happy and so lucky and so blessed. Are you kidding me? I get to do everything I ever wanted to do and finally feel OK with being me and you can't put a price on that."

They'd go on to date for over a year and a half before going their separate ways and appeared side-by-side on several seasons together, both as a couple and as exes.

Shortly after her passing, CT—who shares 8-year-old son Christopher Jr. with ex Lilianet Solares—paid tribute to Diem, noting that she was always his “angel.”

“Now you have your wings,” he shared on social media at the time, per Us Weekly. “We’ve been thru so much over the years. Thru the ups and downs we somehow managed to keep our promise. We never gave up on each other. Our plan to be together forever hasn’t changed … it’s just going to take a little longer now.”

The Challenge 40: Battle of the Eras premieres Wednesday, August 14, 2024 on MTV at 8pm ET/PT.

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