Loren Ruch

Loren Ruch passed away peacefully on June 12, 2025, at the age of 55, surrounded by his devoted husband and a circle of dear friends, after a brave battle with acute myeloid leukemia. A five-time Emmy Award winner and respected creative force in the television industry, Loren was also the beating heart of every room he entered; funny, fierce, loyal, and larger than life.

To know Loren was to love him fully. He often entered a room dancing, laughed loudly and frequently, and could be silly and profound in the same breath. He was the life of the party and the steady hand in a crisis. A true original. A connector. A confidant. A champion of others. He shared a deep bond with his parents and had an amazing, globe-trotting, joy-filled 27-year love story with his husband, David. Their love was one that everyone dreams of, and few experience.

Professionally, Loren poured his heart and brilliance into television. As Head of Home Content for Warner Bros. Discovery, he steered the HGTV team with a rare mix of instinct, humor, and grit. His creative fingerprints are all over fan-favorite shows like Barbie Dreamhouse Challenge, My Lottery Dream Home, Battle on the Beach, Brother vs. Brother, and the Emmy-nominated A Very Brady Renovation. Before that, he helped shape the voice of HGTV and its sister networks as Group SVP of Production & Development at Discovery, Inc. and Scripps Networks Interactive, constantly pushing boundaries and lifting people up along the way.

But Loren's legacy wasn't built on credits or accolades; it was built on people. He was a mentor and friend to countless colleagues, the glue that held teams together. His door (and heart) was always open. He had a rare gift for making others feel seen, celebrated, and supported.

Earlier in his career, Loren earned five Emmy Awards as Senior Producer of Good Day LA, where his energy and creative brilliance helped catapult the show to #1 in Los Angeles. Offscreen, he was a tireless advocate for inclusivity and representation, proudly serving on the board of Live Out Loud, a nonprofit supporting LGBTQ+ youth.

He is survived by his loving husband, David Salas; his mother, Dolly Norris (Will); his father, Larry Ruch (Kuniko); and his brother, Geoffrey Ruch.

A celebration of Loren's extraordinary life will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in his honor to the Alisa Ann Ruch Burn Foundation or Be the Match.

Loren's light was singular, and his impact immeasurable. Though the world lost him far too soon, he leaves behind a legacy of laughter, loyalty, and love that will live on in all those lucky enough to have called him a friend.