Josh Goldstein and Shannon St. Clair, who were the strongest couple subsequent to staying together since day one of season three, declared they were leaving the villa during the Aug. 5 episode.

The islanders woke up to discover Josh and Shannon’s bed vacant. The couple strolled in the room, clasping hands, to share the pitiful news that Josh’s sister had passed on over night.

“I just want to tell you guys that me and Shannon are going home today,” Josh, 24, told his fellow CBS contestants. “Unfortunately, my sister passed away last night.” He added, “Yeah, I just got word,” seemingly from producers who informed him of her death. (The islanders film Love Island non-stop in Hawaii, typically without access to their cell phones and social media.)

The Sun reports that a Massachusetts coroner’s office affirmed his sister Lindsey died Aug. 4, yet no reason for death was uncovered.

On air, Josh honored his sister. “She was an unbelievable person,” he told his co-stars. “She was the reason I’m here, the reason I found Shannon and met all you guys. It’s unexpected, but she lived an unbelievable life.”

He continued, “I just need to be home with my family right now to support them. I just want to let you guys know that I’m so grateful to have met all of you, consider you all my best friends. We’re going to see each other again. This isn’t it.”

The baseball player said he appreciates “the support and the friendships and the fun times and the laughs” that he has experienced over the past 22 episodes. “It’s been unbelievable and an experience that I’ll never forget,” Josh noted.

The islanders discreetly assembled around the pair to hug them goodbye, with Cash Proudfoot advising them, “I’m so sorry.”

The Love Island USA Twitter account composed on Aug. 5, “We send our love and condolences to Josh and his family from all of us at Love Island. [heart emoji].”

Shannon and Josh were the only couple in the villa to go exclusive, after he requested that she be his girlfriend on the Aug. 4 episode, during their waterfall ziplining date.

After the couple’s takeoff, castmates expressed their sympathy during one-on-one interviews. Through tears, Kyra Lizama mirrored, “It’s absolutely heartbreaking to see Josh and Shannon leave.”

Cash added, “I couldn’t even imagine what he’s going through, what he’s feeling.”

Jeremy Hershberg said, “I’m just kind of in shock right now. He’s obviously going to be missed in here, and I just can’t wait to see him when I get out and be there for him.”

Earlier this week, contestant Leslie Golden abruptly left the dating show also. The influencer later composed on her Instagram Story that she left in the wake of accomplishing something “a little illegal.”