Who is Alex Jennings? If you’ve just finished watching the ninth episode of Outer Banks season 3, odds are you might find yourself asking this very question due to a special tribute that ended the episode.

Following episode 9 of Outer Banks, there is a dedication card honoring Jennings, which has piqued viewers’ curiosity. These dedications are frequently added as a way to pay tribute to a former member of the cast, crew, or other important figures in the production who helped with the creation of a show or movie.

So what exactly is Jennings’ connection to the Outer Banks franchise?

The dedication at the end of Outer Banks season 3, episode 9 was designed to honor the late Alex Jennings, who worked as a stunt double and stand-in actor for Chase Stokes on Outer Banks. Jennings sadly passed away in July 2022 at the age of 22 as the result of injuries sustained from a double hit-and-run.

According to preliminary reports from TMZ, Jennings was struck by a vehicle around 2 a.m. local time in a hit-and-run accident. He was sadly struck by a second vehicle sometime shortly after, which also fled the scene of the crime. Jennings was transferred to the hospital where he ultimately succumbed to the injuries sustained in the accident.

Jennings’ tragic death was first confirmed by Kimmie Stewart Casting, who represented Jennings and shared the heartbreaking news via an emotional Instagram post:

Following Jennings’ tragic death, Outer Banks star Chase Stokes was among the first to post an emotional tribute to Jennings on social media, sharing a tribute to his late co-star in an Instagram Story.

"“Still trying to process why certain things happen, and why the world works in the ways that it does. My heart is shattered. Your life was just starting. We JUST talked about how pumped you were about your tunes, how far you’d come with that ole 6 string, and your want to keep creating art. Always always making others hearts warm and being so damn selfless. I wish I had more words to say right now, but the past day has been a struggle to say the least. We all love you, you touched all of our lives and made us all better people, and for that — thank you, AJ. Fly high, angel.”"

The dedication in Outer Banks season 3 episode 9 was designed to pay tribute to Jennings’ contributions to the Netflix series and honor his life and legacy. It was a sweet and touching moment and one that will hopefully bring awareness to the dangers of drinking and driving — something Stokes has publically addressed directly on many occasions in wake of Jennings’ death.

Outer Banks season 3 is streaming now on Netflix.