Pratik Handore
‘The Curse of Oak Island‘ is one of the most intriguing reality TV shows of recent times and revolves around the hunt for the supposedly cursed hidden treasure buried somewhere on Oak Island, south of Nova Scotia, Canada. Also known as The Oak Island Mystery, it is believed that the hidden treasure belonged to Captain Kidd and various other theories about it also exist. The hunt for the treasure and the related theories are the show’s prime focus. It documents the efforts of brothers Marty and Rick Lagina, who are on a mission to find the treasure along with the local treasure-hunting community (aka Oak Island Fellowship).
One such member of the local community is Dave Blankenship, who has appeared on the show sporadically over the years. However, in the latest season, he has been notably missing, and naturally, that has left fans of the show worried about his fate. Here is everything you need to know about Dave Blankenship’s absence from the show and whereabouts.
What Happened to Dave Blankenship?
David “Dave” Blankenship is the son of the legendary Dan Blankenship, who was Rick and Marty’s partner. Dan was a revered and respected figure among the Oak Island Fellowship and came to the island in search of the treasure after reading about it in the 1965 edition of Reader’s Digest (the same one as the Lagina brothers). He spent nearly fifty years looking for the treasure and amassed arguably more knowledge about the myths and the theories surrounding it than anyone. Sadly, Dan passed away in 2019.
The show addressed Dan’s death and also honored his memory in season 7, in an episode titled ‘The Torch Is Passed’ that premiered on November 5, 2019. His son Dave appeared in a supporting capacity in early episodes of the show, often aiding his father, and is one of the original members of the fellowship. To honor his father’s legacy, Dave took a more avid interest in finding the treasure and became a main cast member in season 7. Dave suffered a tragic workplace accident earlier in his life that rendered him paralyzed and comatose. He slowly recovered but partially lost sensation in the left side of his body and slightly limps when he walks.
The accident didn’t scupper Dave’s spirit, and he carried on his treasure hunting activities until the end of season 7, after which he stepped away from his lifelong quest. Dave does not have a large social media presence and has kept his personal life away from the camera for most of the part. Therefore, after he did not appear on the show’s eighth season, fans began speculating the reason behind his absence. A quick google search brings up an obituary for David Blankenship, which likely had fans puzzled and concerned about Dave’s whereabouts.
The obituary is for a different man who happened to share the same name as the treasure hunter. Dave Blankenship from ‘The Curse of Oak Island’ is alive and well. Since the season 7 finale, titled ‘Timeline,’ Dave hasn’t appeared on the series. He did appear on an episode of the companion series ‘The Curse of Oak Island: Drilling Down’ in 2021. The series gives a behind-the-scenes look at the lives of members of the fellowship and their activities and features in-depth conversations with them. In an episode of the series, Dave spoke about the reasons behind his decision to step away from treasure hunting.
Dave explained that he decided to retire from the show and treasure hunting to spend more time with his family. It has also been reported that Dave was dissatisfied with how the show’s producers treated his late father, and that likely also factored into his decision to retire. For now, fans will have to wait and see if Dave makes an appearance in the following season, as the episode revealed that the door is certainly open on the possibility. The Curse of Oak Island’ wrapped up its eighth season in May 2021 on History TV, and a season 9 renewal is currently pending.
Read More: Is The Curse of Oak Island Real?
