The Tragic Death Of Bling Empire Star Anna Shay

"Bling Empire" star Anna Shay has died at the age of 62, per People. According to the outlet, the star's death was completely unexpected as she suffered a stroke. "It saddens our hearts to announce that Anna Shay, a loving mother, grandmother, charismatic star, and our brightest ray of sunshine, has passed away at the early age of 62 from a stroke. Anna taught us many life lessons on how not to take life too seriously and to enjoy the finer things. Her impact on our lives will be forever missed but never forgotten," her family said in an official statement.

Shay quickly blew up in the industry after she starred in Netflix's hit series, "Bling Empire," per Marie Claire. She was beloved by fans as she lived a lavish lifestyle that had everyone intrigued. However, Shay never expected fame to come her way when she signed on for the show. She revealed to Oprah Daily that she thought she was just helping out her friend and producer, Jeff Jenkins. She shared, "The next thing I knew, I was sitting in front of the camera. I'm really quite shy, so it was hard. I never thought about doing this, especially at my age." But, when the cameras started rolling, it was evident that she was bound to be a star. With her tragic passing, Shay will be forever missed by friends, family, and viewers who grew to love her on "Bling Empire." 

They didn't use the title "Bling Empire" for nothing. All the stars on the reality show are covered in riches from head to toe. According to Lifestyle Asia, before her death, Anna Shay was the richest cast member (before Mimi Morris entered the second season, of course). Shay reportedly had a net worth of $600 million, which left many fans wondering how she became so successful. Well, according to Harper's Bazaar, Shay long lived a wealthy lifestyle thanks to her parents. 

According to the outlet, her co-star, Kane Lim, revealed how Shay obtained her wealth in season 1 of "Bling Empire." Lim said, "[Anna's] money comes from weapons. Her father sells bombs, guns, defense technology and it's worth, like, a few billion." Turns out, this wasn't 100% accurate. Shay told People that she asked Lim why he would say her father was in "weapons" when that wasn't the truth. She said, "Why did you say my dad was in arms? He goes, 'I don't know.' He thought he knew, but maybe he didn't know and was just guessing." NBC revealed that Shay's father was actually the "founder of the American defense and government services contractor Pacific Architects and Engineers."

After her father passed in 1995, Shay and her siblings received shares in their father's company, per Marie Claire. She and her siblings later sold their shares in 2006 for 1.2 billion — that's right, billion! — dollars.