Heavy/HGTV/YouTube HGTV stars Brian and Mika Kleinschmidt
After revealing the death of his beloved grandmother, “100 Day Dream Home” and “100 Day Hotel Challenge” star Brian Kleinschmidt has received an outpouring of love and support from his fellow HGTV stars and fans.
On August 28, 2024, Kleinschmidt shared via Instagram that his “granny,” Ginny Zwieg, had died the previous day at age 92. He posted two black-and-white photos of them together, one from when he was a child and the other more current. According to multiple Florida news outlets, his grandmother died after years of battling Alzheimer’s.
In the caption, Kleinschmidt wrote, “The only thing giving me peace right now is a silly little expression Granny would always say: ‘See ya later alligator…After ‘while crocodile.’ This isn’t a goodbye…it’s a see ya later. 🐊 💜 😇”
Mika Kleinschmidt Calls Her Husband’s Grandma ‘a Queen’
Among the HGTV stars who wrote messages of support was his own wife and co-star, Mika Kleinschmidt, who wrote of Zwieg, “❤️❤️She was a queen and we will miss her until we can be reunited again. She will be with us always in our hearts and spirit”
“Battle on the Beach” star Taniya Nayak commented, “Sending much love to you – so sorry for your loss. ❤️”
Longtime HGTV star Ty Pennington chimed in, “So sorry buddy 💔”
“Sorry for your loss bro,” wrote “Married to Real Estate” star Mike Jackson. “Condolences to you and the family.”
Jackson’s wife and co-star, Egypt Sherrod, also weighed in, writing, “Condolences my friend😢”
Former “Trading Spaces” star Lauren Makk, who will appear on the September 3 episode of “100 Day Hotel Challenge,” wrote, “Oh Brian.. I am so so sorry for your loss ❤️ sending big hugs to you and your family !”
Brian Kleinschmidt also received condolence messages from over 1,500 fans on Instagram and, at the time of publication, the post about his grandmother had been “liked” nearly 11,000 times.
Brian Kleinschmidt’s Grandma Lived With Alzheimer’s for Nearly 20 Years, Per Reports
Zwieg was Kleinschmidt’s maternal grandma, according to the The Observer News, which profiled his grandpa, Roger Zwieg, in 2020. The outlet said the Zwiegs attended high school together but didn’t start dating until after graduation, and then married in 1952.
The article revealed that the couple remained upbeat throughout their life together despite facing multiple hardships, including the death of a six-year-old daughter. After that loss, the outlet reported, Ginny Zwieg went back to school to become a teacher for deaf students. She later survived breast cancer.
According to the Tampa Bay Times, Ginny Zwieg was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s nearly two decades ago. In October 2021, the Kleinschmidts helped to raise awareness for the Walk to End Alzheimer’s in Tampa Bay, near where they and the Zwiegs lived. At the time, Brian told WFLA that his despite losing much of her memory to Alzheimer’s, his grandma still loved to sing.
“Music is one of the final memories that stays with you, so we sing songs all day long and she knows every single lyric,” he told the station. “Songs that she probably hasn’t sung in 50 years, which is kinda cool!”
Since Ginny Zwieg was diagnosed, the Kleinschmidts and their family, who love acting and singing, have raised thousands of dollars for Alzheimer’s research through events like the local walk and staging shows in Florida, per the Tampa Bay Times.
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HGTV Stars Support Brian Kleinschmidt as He Mourns Family Death