The world of classic car restoration enthusiasts is in mourning. Rob “Rabbit” Pitts, co-star of Tex-Mex Motors, filmed between Juárez and El Paso, which captivated millions of Netflix viewers around the world, has died.
Marcos “Scooter” Carrera, the other protagonist of the show, announced the news on social networks.
“It is with great sadness that I write about the passing of my co-star and friend, Rob 'Rabbit' Pitts,” Carrera posted on social media. “Calm down brother. “I'm going to miss you so much!”
The beloved Netflix star died Sunday, Aug. 25, at the age of 45, after a courageous battle with stomach cancer, his videographer posted on Pitts' YouTube channel.
“Hi everyone, I'm Jeff (Robin's videographer). I am now in palliative care with him. He passed away on 08/25/2024 at 9:45 PM. I will make sure to protect the channel. “We will miss him and never forget him!”
Pitts played a funny and often humorous car salesman in the Netflix series. He and his co-star, El Paso native Scooter Wrighton, shared an undeniable on-screen chemistry as they drove across the border into Mexico, scouring car junkyards for hidden gems they could salvage.
Pitts uploaded a video titled “It's Goodbye” on Sunday. In it, he shared that he had been ill for over a year but was focusing on the shooting of the second season of the series. The nearly four-minute-long video has now garnered more than a million views.
“I started feeling 'weird' after last year's SEMA car show in Las Vegas and was losing weight,” he explained in his caption video. “But I was getting ready to film the second season of Tex Mex Motors for Netflix, and I wanted to be camera-ready, so I wasn't worried about that.”
Pitts recalled how he “lost his appetite” and had “excessive acid reflux-like symptoms.” Eventually, she ended up in an emergency room, and while they addressed her symptoms, “they didn't get to the root of the problem.”
Finally, his co-star and “set mom,” Jamie, took him to the emergency room, where he was diagnosed with stomach cancer in late March.
“Since then I have been receiving treatment at home and it has been difficult. There are more bad days than good days, but I keep going. I have a lot to live for and life has been good to me,” Pitts told his followers. “Don't feel bad for me… I have achieved my dreams of owning my own store, finishing the second season of Netflix, and marrying the love of my life.”
After joking that his wife “doesn't mind doing long-term things with a short-term guy,” he urged his fans to “ask questions and get answers” if “your body is telling you something wrong.”
“Thank you for listening to my stories over the years. I'd like to know if my stories have affected you,” he concluded before saying goodbye, “Until next time, — rabbit.”
The show Tex Mex Motors premiered on Netflix in 2023. It involved buying and selling cars on the border of Carrera and Pitts.
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