Southern Charm star Olivia Flowers is navigating her new normal after her brother, Connor Flowers, died at the age of 32.
“It’s very gradual and very inconsistent,” Olivia, 31, told Nick Viall on the Thursday, November 30, episode of his “Viall Files” podcast about her healing journey. “I’ve been incredibly fortunate to have my close friends and family around me. Thanksgiving was very different this year, but we made the most of it.”
Olivia speculated that “once the dust settles,” Connor’s loss will “start to hit hard.”
The Bravo star and her family confirmed in February that Connor had suddenly died at the age of 32 after overdosing on fentanyl. (According to Olivia, Connor used pain pills to cope with his chronic Lyme disease symptoms.)
“It’s just trying to figure out a new reality now. There’s been an outpouring of support and people sharing their [similar] stories of loss and there’s a sad comfort in relating to others,” she added on Thursday. “But, it’s been uplifting and we’re just trying to shape the new reality.”
Olivia further reflected on Connor’s legacy during the podcast appearance.
“It is medicine to talk about the person and keep them alive in memory,” she said. “And the only way to do that is to talk about them. … I miss being the youngest and getting away with things, [but I really miss] his heart. He had the best heart, he was so kind and everyone knew him. I’ve always been known as Connor’s little sister.”
While grieving her brother’s death hasn’t been easy for Olivia, it’s been even more difficult to watch her parents mourn his loss.
“They’re staying so strong for me, but I constantly want to remind them [that] they don’t have to be strong for me and I can be there for them,” she pressed. “And I’m the baby of the family, so that’s an adjustment for them. It’s just talking about him and keeping him alive in the family.”
Olivia added: “We all cope so differently. Like, my mom constantly wants to be in his room when she comes home and my dad has a hard time looking at pictures. It’s all different and you’ve just got to be patient with each other.”
Olivia and her parents initially weren’t comfortable speaking publicly about the circumstances surrounding Connor’s passing, but with time, she is more willing to share his story. She explained that Connor suffered with Lyme for “most of his adult life,” theorizing that his addiction struggles “started” when he tried to deal with his pain by taking medications.
