Southern Charm cast member Olivia Flowers lost her only sibling, Conner Flowers, to an accidental fentanyl overdose in 2023. Conner suffered from Lyme disease for most of his life, and Olivia has used her late brother’s legacy to help raise money and awareness for the cause. It was because of his diagnosis that led him down the wrong path to fentanyl, as reported by Entertainment Tonight.

Olivia advocates for Lyme disease awareness and lends her voice to diagnosing and helping those suffering from it. On Instagram, she explained that while “talking about this loss on a larger public platform has been difficult and uncomfortable,” she hopes stepping outside of her comfort zone could help others “avoid the same struggles brought on by Lyme disease” that her brother suffered with.

On Sept. 24, 2024, Olivia was invited to be the keynote speaker at the Project Lyme 2024 Gala in New York City. “Thank you [Project Lyme] for giving my family and [me] a beautiful night to honor my brother,” Olivia wrote on her Instagram story from the event, as reported by The Daily Dish.

What Happened To Oliva Flower’s Brother?

Olivia Flowers’ older brother, Conner Flowers, passed away in January 2023, just weeks before his 33rd birthday. He died from an accidental overdose of fentanyl, years after being prescribed opioids to treat chronic pain stemming from his longtime battle with Lyme disease.

“It’s just heartbreaking,” Olivia told PEOPLE about how his longtime illness led to his addiction, which ultimately caused his death.

There are these holes in the healthcare system, and my brother fell into one.

Conner’s Lyme disease symptoms started when he was 15, but it took years for doctors to diagnose him. “I remember my parents taking him to doctors literally around the world trying to find answers to these symptoms that he talked about to no avail,” she says.

Instead of a proper diagnosis, he was prescribed painkillers to cope with his chronic pain and associated anxiety. “He started depending, at a very young age, on this prescription medicine to feel normal. And we as a family started to see this toll it took on his body.”

By the time he found the help he needed, the Lyme had been in his system too long, plus he had become addicted to the very opioids and Xanax he thought were helping him. “Now, not only was he getting treatment for Lyme, but he was also in rehab dealing with getting off this medicine,” Olivia told the outlet.

She opened up about her loss on Instagram in February 2024, which would have been Conner’s birthday.

Thank you to all those who have reached out and been so helpful during this time. To be surrounded by those who knew and loved Conner all week was a gift in itself. We are so grateful for all your messages — please know they haven’t gone unseen.

She opened up about her family tragedy on the Season 9 reunion of Southern Charm back in January 2024, admitting she was concerned about her parents, Robin and Harry. “My parents are just trying to get through, figure out their new reality,” she explained.

How Olivia Flowers Remembers Her Late Brother

Olivia Flowers chose to open up about her brother on Southern Charm because she wanted to “shed some light and awareness.”

Fans on the reality show praised Olivia’s strength and how her co-stars rallied around her during the tragedy. She explained to PEOPLE why she continued filming the show after her loss. “Like most siblings, Conner and I have always been very protective of each other. So discussing this loss with a larger audience hasn’t been easy,” she shared.

I definitely want to step outside my comfort zone and use my platform to shed some light and awareness and possibly help others, because I know I’d be honoring Conner in some way by doing that.

• The reality TV star also explained that she wanted to bring him up on the show to keep his memory alive.
• Olivia explained to PEOPLE that Conner was the reason she joined Southern Charm.

“I remember producers asking several times if they could do a scene with Conner and I, but because I’m so protective of him, I never wanted to talk about what he was going through on camera. But he agreed to do a FaceTime call from Arizona and I’m so glad he did because now I have that footage forever.”

The holidays are especially difficult for Olivia and her family. She told E! News how much the family struggled to be only three people instead of four. “But we’re a very tight-knit, close family, so we’re pulling through and holding tight. So, we’ll get through it.”

In another Instagram tribute to her brother, Olivia opened up more about Conner and their family. She wrote how thankful she was to be the sister of a “beautiful, tender-hearted soul with the soft-spoken voice to match.”

“I can only hope I continue to be known forever as ‘Conner’s little sister’ the three of us will keep looking up at you,” she added.

Tragedy Brought Olivia Flower Closer To Her Southern Charm Co-Stars

During the Season 9Southern Charm reunion, Olivia praised her costars for rallying around her after the tragic family loss. “I was very fortunate,” she explained. “Everyone stepped up and we really appreciate that.”

During an appearance on Tamra Judge and Teddi Mellencamp‘s Two Ts In A Pod ​​​​​​podcast, Olivia admitted she only took a week away from filming Southern Charm to be with her family after Conner’s death. While she credits Bravo with being “respectful,” she admits filming the last half of the reality show was a “mess.”

“I look back on that season, I felt like I was sleep-walking. Like, I don’t even remember it. Like, I’m trying — with all this trauma,” she told the Real Housewives alum, as reported by Entertainment Now.

She also credited her ex-Austen Kroll for being a shoulder to cry on. Austen lost his own sister when they were children and was a great support for Olivia. “Considering where we had been up until that point,” she revealed, “it was nice to know that even for a moment that we could put it all aside.” Austen agreed and told Andy Cohen that he “tried to just get out of my own head” to be there for his ex.