‘Southern Charm’: Olivia Flowers’ Brother Battled Lyme Disease That ‘Caused Severe Internal Damage’
Olivia Flowers from Bravo’s Southern Charm opened up about the devastating impact Lyme disease had on her 32-year-old brother, Conner who died in January 2023.
Conner’s cause of death was under investigation and the family asked for privacy. Olivia posted a birthday message on what would have been Conner’s 33rd birthday. But most recently candidly shared the private battle Conner faced in the hopes it could help someone else.
Olivia Flower’s brother Conner had Lyme disease
May is Lyme disease awareness month and Olivia wanted to share her family’s experience with the tick-borne illness.
“My brother suffered from this insidious disease for his entire adult life,” she revealed on Instagram along with a photo of Conner. “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.”
She added, “Lyme disease is complex and incredibly difficult to diagnose, given the severe limitations of diagnostic testing, wide-ranging symptoms, and a lack of education within the medical field. For years, I remember my parents traveling with Conner to countless doctors’ appointments looking for answers to his symptoms and pain.”
Conner was misdiagnosed which led to ‘devastating’ long-term consequences
Conner endured the disease for years, misdiagnosed as the illness damaged his organs.
“For Conner, this led to several misdiagnoses and unnecessary medicinal treatment at a young age,” Olivia wrote. “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.”
“Anyone that knew Conner knew of his love for helping others. It was a passion of his. Although talking about this loss on a larger public platform has been difficult and uncomfortable, I hope that by stepping outside of my comfort zone, I can honor my brother as well as help others avoid the same struggles brought on by Lyme disease that he suffered,” she added.
Another Bravoleb was misdiagnosed and faced Lyme
Like Conner, model Yolanda Hadid from The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills dealt with misdiagnosed Lyme. Her journey was documented on RHOBH, which often reflected her frustration and devastation.
“In the beginning stages you just go ‘Okay’, you’re taught to believe the doctors are always right. So whatever the doctors said [I just went] ‘Oh, I’m fine!'” she shared in her book, “Believe Me.”
“So you keep pushing, pushing, pushing. And then days turn into weeks, weeks turn into months, and months turned into years,” she said. At one point Yolanda was wheelchair-bound, dealing with a brain infection until finally she was diagnosed in 2012.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimate that approximately 30,000 are diagnosed with Lyme disease every year. However, this statistic doesn’t account for those who are misdiagnosed.
