Becker’s family confirmed the news, stating that she died by suicide. They mentioned that she had recently moved from California to Illinois to care for family members and was struggling with her mental health while recovering from a skateboarding accident.
Before joining the reality show in 1996, she worked at Wildstorm Comics in La Jolla. Becker was known as a tomboy and described herself in a “Real World” promo as “a 19-year-old trapped in a 25-year-old’s body.”
Her time on the show was memorable for her side business delivering restaurant supplies, a heated argument with her roommate, confronting another housemate, taking a trip to the Bahamas, and bringing home a puppy named Leroy.
Condolences on Social Media
“I am beyond myself and sad to just hear that my [roommate] Sarah died,” Flora Alekseyeun wrote Sunday on Instagram, calling Becker “kind,” “selfless” and “helpful.”
“I haven’t spoken to her in years and never knew she was troubled. My prayers go out to her family. RIP my [roommate], my friend. May you skate with angels and never feel pain again. RIP roomy. I pray there’s happiness for you on the other side,” Cynthia Roberts said in her Instagram story alongside a recent photo of Becker.
“Sarah and I had not spoken since the end of our show, so I don’t know anything about her struggles,” Dan Renzi posted on Instagram. “The seven of us in that cast went through a bizarre, intense and sometimes traumatic experience together, and that creates a connection between people, even when they choose not to associate with each other. I can only say, it’s very sad.”
Joe Patane memorialized her on Facebook, praising how she “dedicated herself to becoming a life coach and eventually a licensed marriage and family therapist to help others, and perhaps deeper understand her own mental health challenges. Suicide should never be an option, but hopefully she is at peace, and those who knew and loved her will reach out for the care they need, like I must, to mourn, love, LIVE and thrive.”
