'MythBusters’ star Grant Imahara dead at 49

It’s a sad day for the MythBusters community after fans learned that host Grant Imahara has died at the age of 49 following a brain aneurism. The electrical engineer and roboticist co-hosted the science-experiment series from 2005 to 2014, and also starred on the short-lived Netflix series, White Rabbit Project.“We are heartbroken to hear this sad news about Grant. He was an important part of our Discovery family and a really wonderful man,” a representative for Discovery, which aired MythBusters, told The Hollywood Reporter in a statement. “Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family.”[video_embed id='-1']RELATED: Biochemist wins Miss Virginia with awesome experiment showcasing her talent[/video_embed]Imahara joined MythBusters in season three when host Scottie Chapman exited. There, he designed some of the show’s most impressive robots (while also working the electronics) in order to test some of the myths that she series tackled. As fans of the show well know, Imahara also usually participated in the antics, driving stunt cars and even skydiving."I’m at a loss. No words. I’ve been part of two big families with Grant Imahara over the last 22 years,” MythBusters co-host Adam Savage tweeted after the news broke. “Grant was a truly brilliant engineer, artist and performer, but also just such a generous, easygoing, and gentle PERSON. Working with Grant was so much fun. I’ll miss my friend."

I’m at a loss. No words. I’ve been part of two big families with Grant Imahara over the last 22 years. Grant was a truly brilliant engineer, artist and performer, but also just such a generous, easygoing, and gentle PERSON. Working with Grant was so much fun. I’ll miss my friend.

— Adam Savage (@donttrythis) July 14, 2020

Somedays I wish I had a time machine. ⁦@ToryBelleci⁩ ⁦@grantimahara⁩ pic.twitter.com/o9FRE2l16W

— Kari Byron (@KariByron) July 13, 2020

I just cannot believe it. I don’t even know what to say. My heart is broken. Goodbye buddy @grantimahara pic.twitter.com/HkLYaBK1dw

— Tory Belleci (@ToryBelleci) July 14, 2020

Grant's fiancee, costume and prop designer Jennifer Newson, also shared her shock and grief over the loss on Twitter. The two have been engaged since 2016.

I haven't found the words. I don't know if I'll be able to. I lost a part of my heart and soul today.He was so generous and kind, so endlessly sweet and so loved by his incredible friends. I feel so lucky to have known him, to have loved & been loved by him.I love you, honey. pic.twitter.com/d7secP1Ols

— Jenny N (@Jennernugen) July 14, 2020

The science series wasn’t his only claim to fame though: behind-the-scenes, Imahara worked on iconic characters like Star Wars’ R2-D2, the Geoff Peterson robot for The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson and the Energizer Bunny. Meanwhile, eagle-eyed viewers may recognize him from the fan-made web series Star Trek Continues, where he played Hikaru Sulu.Before hosting MythBusters, Imahara worked for nine years at Lucasfilm, eventually becoming the chief model maker specializing in electronics. There he worked on plenty of big-budget films now known for their special effects, like the Star Wars prequels, The Matrix movies, Van Helsing, The Lost World: Jurassic Park and Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines. That's a pretty fitting career trajectory for a guy who studied electrical engineering at school before briefly considering a career in screenwriting, as per THR.Over its 15-season run, MythBusters tested the science behind popular myths like whether eating too many poppy seeds could lead to a positive opioid test or whether using a cell phone while pumping gas would blow up the station. Imahara left the series in 2014 alongside Kari Byron and Tory Belleci, but all three of them reunited for the one-season run of White Rabbit Project. That series investigated things like jail breaks, superpowers and crazy war weapons, but it was cancelled after 10 episodes in 2016.[video_embed id='1994321']BEFORE YOU GO: Lisa Marie Presley mourns death of 27-year-old son[/video_embed]