Loren Ruch, head of content for HGTV and host of ‘HGTV House Party,’ has died at the age of 55. According to TMZ, Ruch’s death comes following a battle with pneumonia.

Ruch joined the network in 2008 as a top programming executive where he served as the executive producer on shows like “HGTV Dream Home,” “HGTV Green Home,” “Rose Parade” and “White House Christmas.” In January 2023, Ruch was named head of content for HGTV where he then oversaw the programming of “My Lottery Dream Home,” “Barbie Dreamhouse Challenge,” “Celebrity IOU,” and more.

Ruch was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia roughly a year ago, according to his mother Dolly Norris. Ruch was cancer free at the time of his death, Norris said, despite media reports saying otherwise. Norris said the cancer battle left Ruch with a weakened immune system, making pneumonia the ultimate cause of death

He died Thursday at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City. Ruch is survived by his husband David Salas, his mother, his father Larry, his brother Geoffrey, and his stepfather Will Waterman.