Mason Haynes, a highly respected bodyguard who spent years protecting Kim Kardashian, Kris Jenner and other members of their family, has died in a car accident at the age of 52. A fundraising page set up for his family says he was killed in a traffic collision on July 4, just two days before what would have been his 53rd birthday.

Haynes was a familiar but largely silent presence around some of the world’s most famous faces. Among his earliest high-profile clients were the Kardashian-Jenner clan, and he later said he had worked closely with Kim Kardashian, family matriarch Kris Jenner and rapper Kanye West during some of the most intense years of their public lives.

His work extended far beyond reality television royalty. Haynes provided protection for comedian Kevin Hart, rapper Nicki Minaj, singer Charlie Puth and Formula 1 champion Lewis Hamilton, building a reputation as a calm, unflappable professional trusted in high-pressure environments.

Haynes was also part of the Kardashian family’s security detail during one of their most harrowing moments: Kim Kardashian’s robbery at gunpoint in Paris in 2016. The incident, which prompted a sweeping overhaul of celebrity security protocols, underscored the stakes of the work Haynes and his colleagues carried out behind the scenes.

Trojan Security UK, the firm that employed Haynes, paid tribute to him as an “absolute legend” in the close-protection industry and shared a photograph of him working alongside Kris Jenner. Colleagues described him as a consummate professional whose presence reassured both clients and team members, and said his loss has left a deep void in their ranks.

The fundraiser for his family portrays Haynes as far more than a bodyguard. Organizers remember him as a natural protector, a mentor to younger security professionals and a good-natured prankster who made everyone feel like part of his extended family. They say hundreds of messages have poured in from people whose lives he touched, reflecting the breadth of his impact across the entertainment and security worlds.

Haynes is survived by his wife, Fay, his daughter, Brooke, and his son, Noah. Those close to him say his legacy will live on in the people he trained, the clients he safeguarded and the family he devoted his life to protecting.