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Olivia Flowers has opened up about her brother Conner Flowers’ health struggles and his Lyme disease diagnosis, a few months after his death at the age of 32.
Conner Flowers’ cause of death has not been publicly shared and the “Southern Charm” star didn’t reveal if his Lyme disease was a contributing factor in her brother’s death, but she said she wanted to shed light on the disease as May is Lyme Disease Awareness Month.
“My brother suffered from this insidious disease for his entire adult life,” she wrote on Instagram on May 9. “I grew up with a creative, confident and active brother. Conner was an incredible athlete, an avid golfer – he was ranked state-wide. He always had an entrepreneurial spirit and an inspiring energy about him. Although he was very private about his struggles with Lyme disease, my family saw the toll it took on his life trying to navigate the debilitating symptoms over the last 17 years.”
Flowers spoke about the difficulty of diagnosing the disease and the lack of education and awareness about it. Lyme disease is caused by borrelia bacteria, which humans can get through the bite of a tick carrying the bacteria, according to the Mayo Clinic. Symptoms can vary and depend on the treatment received and the time between the tick bite and treatment.
The Bravo star said her family had been to a lot of medical appointments over the years to find answers. “Dr. Kelley, Founder & Medical Director of Case Integrative Health, shared with me ‘this delay in diagnosis can be devastating… it is often because the symptoms start out vague and or mimicking other illnesses… too many patients are told your results are normal, there is nothing wrong with you, go see a psychiatrist,’” she wrote.
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Olivia Flowers Explained That Her Brother Had Been Misdiagnosed a Few Times & the Consequences Were ‘Devastating’
Flowers wrote that before her family learned that her brother had Lyme disease, he was misdiagnosed many times and given “unnecessary” medications. She said, “By the time he was properly tested and given a diagnosis from Dr. Jemsek, a God send, and an infectious disease specialist, the disease had caused severe internal damage, and the consequences from his earlier ‘treatment’ were just as long-lasting and devastating.”
Flowers explained that she hasn’t felt comfortable discussing her brother’s death publicly, especially with a large audience like hers, but she wanted to do so on this occasion to “honor” her brother.
The Bravo star received love in the comments from some of her “Southern Charm” co-stars, including OG Kathryn Dennis, who wrote that her words were “Beautiful.” Naomie Olindo wrote, “So so so well said Olivia ❤️ love you so much.” Flowers admitted in response to her comment that Olindo’s work with the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society had inspired her.
Olivia Flowers’ Brother Conner Died on January 30, 2023, as the Bravo Star Was Filming the 9th Season of the Show
Flowers’ brother was found dead at his home in Charleston, South Carolina, on January 30, 2023, just a couple of weeks before his 33rd birthday. The young man was described as “full of life” in his obituary in the Charleston Post & Courier, which asked for donations to lymedisease.org in lieu of flowers.
Conner Flowers’ death will likely be addressed on “Southern Charm” season 9 as the show was filming at the time.
Flowers revealed that she was in an “emotional blackout” for the second half of the season, she told Scheana Shay on her podcast “Scheananigans With Scheana Shay.” Flowers said she would film entire scenes and then get home and not remember anything she’d said or done.
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