Reality TV star and Providence, R.I., municipal judge Frank Caprio has died at age 88.
Caprio, who was known for his show Caught in Providence, which ran between 2018 and 2020 and received multiple Daytime Emmy Award nominations, died “peacefully” following a “long and courageous battle with pancreatic cancer,” according to a statement posted to his Instagram account on Aug. 20.
“Beloved for his compassion, humility, and unwavering belief in the goodness of people, Judge Caprio touched the lives of millions through his work in the courtroom and beyond,” read the caption of the post. “His warmth, humor, and kindness left an indelible mark on all who knew him.”
“He will be remembered not only as a respected judge, but as a devoted husband, father, grandfather, great grandfather and friend,” the statement continued. “His legacy lives on in the countless acts of kindness he inspired. In his honor, may we each strive to bring a little more compassion into the world — just as he did every day.”
Caprio was known for the way he presided over his courtroom with compassion, causing clips from his show to go viral on TikTok in recent years and earning him the title of “Nicest Judge in the World.”
As a result of clips from his show going viral, Caprio had also gained a substantial online following, amassing over three million followers on Instagram and 1.6 million on TikTok.
In 2023, Caprio revealed that he had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in an emotional video on Instagram, sharing that his diagnosis came around his birthday the month prior, which is typically “one of the happiest days of the year for me.”
“This birthday is a little different than any other I have ever had,” Caprio said at the time. “Quite recently, I was not feeling well and received a medical examination and the report was not a good one. And so I have been diagnosed with cancer of the pancreas, which is an insidious form of cancer.”
In a video posted to his Instagram on Aug. 19, Caprio addressed his followers from a bed saying, “Last year I asked you to pray for me, and it’s very obvious that you did because I cam through a very difficult period. Unfortunately I’ve had a setback. I’m back in the hospital now and I’m coming to. you again asking you to remember me in your prayers once more.”
Gov. Dan McKee of Rhode Island shared a tribute to the late judge on X, calling Caprio a “Rhode Island treasure” and saying that he had “faced his illness with bravery.”
“I will miss him dearly,” Gov. McKee continued.
Gov. McKee also ordered that flags in Rhode Island be flown at half mast in honor of Caprio.
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