UPDATED: Christopher “Big Black” Boykin, half of MTV’s “Rob & Big” duo, died on Tuesday, his rep confirmed to Variety. He was 45. 
 
 A cause of death has not yet been reported. 
 
 Boykin was skateboarder and entrepreneur Rob Dyrdek’s best friend and bodyguard, starring alongside him in “Rob & Big” for three seasons. The fan-favorite reality series showed the two in their day-to-day lives, filming such adventures as adopting a mini-horse and breaking Guinness world records. 
 
 The show premiered in 2006 and ended in 2008, after Boykin had a child and stopped living with Dyrdek. He would go on to appear in several episodes of Dyrdek’s follow-up to “Rob & Big,” “Fantasy Factory,” as well as three episodes of Dyrdek’s other MTV show, “Ridiculousness.” 
 
 “MTV is deeply saddened to learn the news of Christopher ‘Big Black’ Boykin’s passing,” MTV said in a statement. “He was a long time and beloved member of the MTV family and will be greatly missed. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family and friends at this time.” 
 
 Before he was on television, Boykin served in the U.S. Navy. He also started a clothing line named after his catchphrase, “Do work,” in 2007. 
 
 Boykin last tweeted just a day before his death, on Monday. Chanel West Coast, who appeared with Boykin on “Fantasy Factory” and “Ridiculousness,” tweeted after news broke, “RIP Big Black. My heart is crushed. I’ll remember all the times you made me laugh and my prayers go out to your family.” 
 
 RIP @BigBlack. My heart is crushed. I'll remember all the times you made me laugh and my prayers go out to your family ❤️🙏🏼😢 — Chanel (@chanelwestcoast) May 10, 2017 
 
 He is survived by a nine-year-old daughter, Isis. ||||| 'Rob & Big' Star Big Black Dead at 45 
 
 Rob & Big Star Christopher 'Big Black' Boykin Dead at 45 
 
 EXCLUSIVE 
 
 
 
 Christopher 'Big Black' Boykin, who was the other half of Rob Dyrdek's hit MTV show "Rob & Big" -- has died ... TMZ has learned. 
 
 His rep tells us Chris died Tuesday morning. No official cause of death yet, but multiple people connected to Chris tell us they believe it was a heart attack. 
 
 He was Rob's best friend and bodyguard on their reality show, which ran from 2006 to 2008 -- and also later appeared on 'Fantasy Factory.' 
 
 The pals got into a bunch of random adventures -- like breaking Guinness World Records, exorcising their house, installing an ATM ... and, of course, catching people with their net gun. 
 
 Chris and Rob's relationship became strained while shooting their show. Rob talked about their falling out a couple of years ago. 
 
 They eventually patched things up. Not only did they work together on 'Fantasy Factory' ... but Chris recently posted a throwback pic of them from the show's heyday. 
 
 Before he was a TV star, Boykin served in the U.S. Navy. He's survived by his 9-year-old daughter. 
 
 'Big Black' was 45. 
 
 #RIP ||||| An extreme sports and MTV star skydiving for the opening ceremony of a golf event in Squaw Valley died when he struck a tree Monday, authorities said. 
 
 Placer County Sheriff's Capt. Dennis Walsh said Erik Roner of Tahoe City died during a skydiving accident at a golf course about 5 miles from Lake Tahoe's northwest shore. 
 
 Witnesses told deputies Roner, 39, was part of a group conducting a skydiving performance for a golf event, when he hit a tree while trying to land and became entangled high above ground, Walsh said. 
 
 Friend Roy Tuscany watched as two other parachutists landed safely on the golf course's fairway for the 9th hole but then looked on in horror when Roner slammed hard into a tree about 25-30 feet above the ground. 
 
 
 
 
 
 "He came into the tree with a lot of speed and that was the devastating factor," Tuscany said. "It was just disbelief, that's the only thing I can say, it's just something that you don't ever expect." 
 
 Authorities were not able to remove him from the tree and Roner was pronounced dead at the scene. 
 
 All the other skydivers landed safely. 
 
 
 
 
 
 Walsh said the investigation is continuing and the Federal Aviation Administration has been notified. 
 
 Roner, a professional skier and avid BASE jumper was known for being part of the Nitro Circus, an MTV show centered around freestyle motocross rider Travis Pastrana and his crew of extreme sports athlete friends. 
 
 With sad hearts we announce the tragic death of Erik Roner. We love & miss you already Erik. http://t.co/PKhCFy1X29 pic.twitter.com/FpE6aRoOTk — Nitro Circus (@NitroCircus) September 29, 2015 
 
 
 
 
 
 "He was really our safety guy on set, the person that we trusted the most to give us a fair assessment of what the risks were," Pastrana said. "Someone who was willing to take those risks but also someone that was going to lay it on the line and not sugar coat it." 
 
 Given Roner's attention to safety, Pastrana said he was stunned to learn of Roner's death. 
 
 "Erik was an amazing person who made everyone and everything around him better," Pastrana said. 
 
 The incident occurred right before the 4th Annual Squaw Valley Institute Celebrity Golf Tournament. Roner was set to be a celebrity golfer in the event. 
 
 Tuscany said Roner's parachute got caught in the tree and Roner dangled there while many on the ground scrambled to find ladders and other means to get to him. At one point, several people attempted to stand on one another's shoulder to reach him. 
 
 "There's no protocol for this kind of rescue," Tuscany said. "There's no manual. It was just horrible." 
 
 Tuscany described his friend Roner as "always positive" and a "big supporter" of the local community. 
 
 He said Roner was "hilarious and was a "stand-up guy" who could always be counted on to help out with benefit events like the golf tournament sponsored by the Squaw Valley Institute, a nonprofit organization that describes itself as being "dedicated to presenting enriching and inspirational programs to the Lake Tahoe region." 
 
 In addition to his role with Nitro Circus, Roner also hosted the TV show "Locals" on sports network Outside Television. 
 
 "We are still trying to process this tragedy," said Rob Faris, senior VP, programming and production at Outside Television. "Our hearts go out to his family." 
 
 Outside Television will air "Locals" from 7:00 to 11:00 p.m. EDT Tuesday. 
 
 Roner's death comes four months after world-famous wingsuit flyer Dean Potter and fellow adventurer Graham Hunt fatally crashed after the pair leaped from Taft Point, 3,500-feet above Yosemite Valley, attempting to clear a V-shaped notch in a ridgeline. 
 
 Roner is survived by his wife and two children. 
 
 KCRA 3's Tom Miller contributed to this report.
– Christopher "Big Black" Boykin, star of MTV reality show Rob & Big, died Tuesday of an apparent heart attack at the age of 45, TMZ reports. “He was a long time and beloved member of the MTV family and will be greatly missed," Variety quotes MTV as saying in a statement. Rob & Big ran from 2006 to 2008 with Boykin appearing as best friend, bodyguard, and roommate to professional skateboarder Rob Dyrdek. The show chronicled various shenanigans, including adopting a mini horse, breaking Guinness World Records, and snaring people with net guns. "We truly were brothers that lived an unexpected unforgettable adventure," Dyrdek tweeted. "I just can't fathom that it would end so suddenly." Boykin, a veteran of the Navy, also started his own clothing line based on his catchphrase, "Do work." He's survived by a 9-year-old daughter.