Todd Homme Makeup Artist Reality Star Todd Homme Of Blush Blush

Mystery in the life of Todd Homme, 23, may be this: What ended it? Homme, a contestant in Lifetime's "Blush: The Search for the Next Great Makeup Artist ...


This doesn't happen often and in fact may never have happened before: A finalist in a popular reality shows dies just before the finale airs. This person was also young - very young - with abundant talent, energy and drive.

He is, or was, in apparent good health.

In fact, the only outstanding mystery in the life of Todd Homme, 23, may be this: What ended it?

Homme, a contestant in Lifetime's "Blush: The Search for the Next Great Makeup Artist," which wrapped last night, died in his sleep at his Manhattan apartment Saturday.

His mother, Marianne Amster of Huntington Station said last night, "They don't know what happened to him" while an autopsy was indeterminate. "He was at the height of life," she added. "It's very hard. Very, very hard."

Born in Tucson, raised in California, Homme moved with his family to Huntington nearly three years ago.

He was one of three finalists in "Blush," a "Project Runway"-like talent quest, in which the winner picks up a $100,000 check and a contract with Max Factor.

The finale was taped a month ago in Los Angeles, and Homme knew he did not win (Nolan Makaawaawa, of Costa Mesa, Calif., did.)

Homme's partner, Neal Krogh, 34, said both were making plans to move from New York to Los Angeles in a month.

"He was happy and exuberant and his usual full-of-life self and excited about the move," said Krogh, a lighting designer for TV and Broadway shows.

"His real passion in life was to help people," said his mother. She said he had told her that if he had won, "he said he'd give some [money] to 'my momma' and work with underprivileged kids. He loved life and he loved people. He did not have a flaw."