NBCUniversal Patricia Altschul
In December 2023, Patricia Altschul shared a few updates about her former longtime butler, Michael Kelcourse. As “Southern Charm” fans might recall, Kelcourse was a regular fixture on the Bravo show in its earlier seasons until his retirement after suffering from a spinal cord stroke in 2021.
On December 14, the series matriarch posted on Instagram that she’d finally been able to visit Kelcourse in person at the assisted living care facility in Sarasota, Florida, where he’s been living. “First there was Covid.. then my back fracture so this is the first I’ve ever been able to spend time with Michael,” she wrote alongside a photo of the two of them.
“Southern Charm” star Austen Kroll commented, “Love this. Got an incredible message from @michaelkelcourse , last week. Told me, amongst other things, that I had greatness ahead , and that he loved that I called him ‘snarky’ at BravoCon.”
Altschul posted another update on December 17 in the form of a video of Kelcourse showing how he’s been able to drive around. “When Michael was at the Shepard Center in Atlanta Georgia he learned how to drive manually,” she wrote. “His wheelchair gets locked into place and therefore he can go anywhere. I know he loves to go to Costco and meet friends and family at restaurants. You can send Michael Christmas greetings @michaelkelcourse.”
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Patricia Altschul Said Michael Kelcourse Suffered a Stroke in 2021 & Is Now Paralyzed From the Chest Down
Altschul updated fans on Kelcourse’s health at BravoCon 2022 and said that he suffered an acute spinal cord stroke in early 2021. “He is paralyzed from the chest down,” she said, according to People. “I sent him to the Shepherd Center, which is the foremost center for spinal cord strokes. They rehabilitated him to the point where he can drive a van. He’s living in an assisted living care facility with nurses, which he requires. He’s in Sarasota, Florida, close with family, so they’re there to take care of him on a daily basis.”
“He has a wonderful attitude,” she continued. “He’s on Instagram, so send him messages on Instagram, that would be really nice.” She said her former butler is a big fan of “Southern Charm” and loves hearing from its viewers.
“He used to stand out in the front of my house making up chores to do because I have fans around my house all the time,” she shared. “He loved to give garden tours and take pictures — so send him a message, that would be really nice.”
Michael Kelcourse Appeared in ‘Southern Charm’ Season 9 Via Video Call
Viewers got to see Kelcourse during season 9 of “Southern Charm” when Altschul called him during an episode. She shared in a confessional interview that the two stay in contact all the time and she considers him a member of the family. In fact, in season 8, when Altschul shared the news of Kelcourse’s stroke, she said he’d been with her family for 18 years.
When Altschul and her son Whitney Sudler-Smith video-called Kelcourse, he revealed that he was doing really well. The impact of his absence on Altschul was clear, however, as she showed some rare emotion after the call wrapped.
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