Facebook/Phil Reitnour
The body pulled from the Schuylkill River on October 12 has been identified as a Shark Tank entrepreneur. Phil Reitnour was identified by officials on October 14. His death comes close to the two year anniversary of his appearance on Shark Tank where he demonstrated the use of his Emergensee app. Reitnour was 58 years old. According to ABC Philadelphia, the medical examiner has not commented or ruled on the cause of death for Reitnour.
Here’s what you need to know:
1. Reitnour Was 3 Million Dollars in Debt
ABC Philadelphia reports that Reitnour was three million dollars in debt and was in the process of being sued when he died.
2. There Were Reports that Reitnour May Have Suffered a Gunshot Wound to the Head
It had earlier been reported that Reitnour had suffered a gun shot wound to the head. ABC Philadelphia had earlier reported that the body was found close to Walnut Street and Schuylkill Avenue in University City at around 11 a.m. The case is being investigated by the Philadelphia Police Department.
3. Reitnour Didn’t Get Any Funding From His Appearance on Shark Tank
During his appearance on Shark Tank in October 2014, Reitnour did not secure any funding from the sharks, including Mark Cuban. Reitnour’s app, EmergenSee, would give users the ability to livestream their situation and location to emergency personnel in the event of a crisis. The sharks were skeptical of the price, $8.99 per month, as well as the fact that Reitnour had financed the app personally. According to the Philadelphia Business Journal, Reitnour said that he hadn’t really been looking for financing saying, “I was never going out to look for a deal. I was going out to look for exposure.”
4. Reitnour Lost HIs Wife After a 5-Year Battle With Breast Cancer in 2005
In 2005, Reitnour’s wife, Kathleen, died after a five-year battle with breast cancer. The couple had four children together, Ben, Nick, Jack and Sarah, according to Kathleen Reitnour’s obituary.
The Huffington Post told the story of the etymology of Reitnour’s app in March 2016. Reitnour told the website that before his wife died he had promised her that he would keep their children safe. During a trip to Maui, Reitnour and his children were nearly run off the road by a crazy driver. Reitnour said that he was unable to call 911 because he didn’t know where he was. The family were eventually saved when they came upon an EMS crew who were having a coffee break.
5. Reitnour Was President of Graduating Class at the University of Delaware