Celebrity bodyguard Mason Haynes, known for his work with the Kardashian family, has died at the age of 52.
According to a GoFund Me set up by his family, Haynes died on July 4 “in a tragic traffic accident,” just two days before he was to celebrate his 53rd birthday.
“He leaves behind his devoted wife Faye, daughter Brooke, son Noah, a loving family and an extraordinary circle of friends scattered throughout the world,” the tribute continued, noting that “hundreds of messages poured in” from “people whose lives Mason changed.”
The family described Haynes as a man “who made people feel welcome from the moment they met him,” who “moved across the country to help a friend,” and who was “a protector. A mentor. A joker. A giant in every sense of the word, with an even bigger heart.”
The celebrity’s longtime bodyguard, who was pictured with Kris Jenner in 2015, died in a car accident, according to the GoFundMe page. GC Images
Haynes, who was seen here with Kim Kardashian and Kanye West in 2016, died in a traffic accident. FameFlynet.uk.com / SplashNews.com
The tribute noted that one friend “wrote that ‘the world has lost that rare thing…a truly good man,'” while another stated that his “greatest gift was his humanity.”
The release explains that funds raised will be used to “ensure that Mason receives the send-off he truly deserves – a celebration of a life that touched so many people” and to “help alleviate some of the immediate financial hardship that inevitably follows such a sudden and devastating loss” for his immediate family.
Trojan Security UK, the bodyguard’s employer, also paid tribute to Haynes on Instagram, sharing a photo of him towering over Kris Jenner, providing protection as he walked. “RIP Big Mason,” they wrote on top of the upload.
“We’d like to pay tribute to the absolute legend of Close Protection. Big Mason,” the company captioned the July 6 photo. “Gone too soon. Rest easy and fly high, Brother 🕊️”
The bodyguard, who can be seen in a photo with Jenner in 2015, was days away from celebrating his 53rd birthday. Abacus / FameFlynet / SplashNews.com
Haynes, pictured above with Jenner and Joyce Bonelli in Paris in 2015, was remembered as a “protector” and a “mentor.” GC Images
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Haynes has primarily worked with Kim Kardashian, Kris Jenner and Kanye West, as well as Formula One’s Lewis Hamilton, who Kim is currently dating, and was on the family’s security team when she was infamously robbed at gunpoint in a Paris hotel in 2016.
In an interview with London Now in 2018, the bodyguard said he “can’t go into detail” and called the incident “a set of unfortunate circumstances that led to something bad.”
He also claimed to have worked with stars such as Charlie Puth, Nicki Minaj and Kevin Hart, among others.
Haynes, pictured above with Kendall Jenner in 2015, emphasized the need to maintain professional boundaries with high-profile clients. Abacus / FameFlynet / SplashNews.com
Haynes has also worked with Kevin Hart and Nicki Minaj, among others. He is pictured above in the GoFundMe campaign photo. GoFundMe
Although Haynes worked closely with high-profile clients, he was a consummate professional. In a 2020 interview, he explained that he drew the line when he became too friendly at work.
“Many bodyguards make the mistake of thinking they are their clients’ friends,” he told Philippa Smith of Silver Swan Recruitment.
“And as soon as you blur the line between professionalism and friendship, I think you have serious problems.”