Television host Ant Anstead paid tribute to his friend Jessi Combs following her death on Aug. 27. Combs, a former host of Discovery’s Mythbusters, died in Alvord Desert, Oregon while trying to break her own four-wheel land speed record. Anstead called Combs one of the “dreamers and the doers.”
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“This incredibly brilliant and passionate car sector that I work in and love so much draws courageous, crazy, creative people! The Dreamers and the doers! And those that are very best rise to the top! [Combs] was one of those!!” Anstead wrote. “She made cars, pushed boundaries, welded, engineered, broke records, and broke glass ceilings, made friends and left a lasting impression! SHE WAS OUR PEOPLE!”
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Anstead added, “There is a numbness in the workshop today! Yesterday at only 36 years old Jessie paid the price trying to beat her own land speed record! Rest in peace Jessi.”
Anstead included a gallery of two photos of Combs hard at work.
Anstead, like Combs, has hosted several car-themed reality shows in the past, including For The Love Of Cars, Building Cars Live, The Lost Lotus: Restoring a Race Car, World’s Most Expensive Cars and Wheeler Dealers. He was most recently featured on HGTV’s Christina on the Coast, featuring his wife and Flip or Flop star Christina Anstead.
Combs, the “fastest woman on four wheels,” died on Aug. 27 at age 36. She was trying to break the land speed record in a jet-powered car. Video of Combs’ fatal attempt surfaced on Thursday.
“Unfortunately we lost her yesterday in a horrific accident, I was the first one there and trust me we did everything humanly possible to save her,” Combs’ boyfriend, Terry Madden, wrote on Instagram to announce her death. “I’m not ok, but she is right here keeping my going-I made her a promise that if this didn’t go well that I would make sure and do good with it, please help me with that, you are all going to see things on news please believe none of them.”
He continued, “We the family have drafted a release and it will come out today with more proper info, but I was just woke up by the media tracking me down and I need everyone of her true friends to do what she would want ‘take a deep breath, relax’ and do good things with this.”
Before her death, Combs filmed Interviewing Monsters and Bigfoot, making her debut as an actress. Director and producer Thomas Smugala said the film will be dedicated to her.
“This was her first feature film,” Smugala told Fox News last week. “We are dedicating the film to Jessi. She was a good friend and a wonderful person. We are also in the process of putting her on the poster and cover art before the release of the film.”
Aside from her time on Mythbusters, Combs also appeared on Xtreme 4×4, Overhaulin’, The List: 1001 Car Things To Do Before You Die, All Girls Garage and How to Build… Everything.
Photo credit: Getty Images
