‘Southern Charm’ Stars Olivia Flowers and Austen Kroll Reunited After Tragic Family Death: “I Should Be The One Who Is There For Her”

When tragedy struck Olivia Flowers, Austen Kroll was there to show his support.

On Thursday’s (Nov. 2) episode of Watch What Happens Live, the Southern Charm star discussed his reunion with his co-star and ex after the death of her brother Conner Flowers this past January. 

“It was very tough,” Kroll said. “I was like, ‘I should be the one who is there for her.’ But I’ve obviously chosen to not be that person, and then this tragedy kind of happens.”

He went on, sharing how he came to the difficult decision to reach out to Olivia to offer his support.

“I’m just known to be an overthinker. I was like, ‘This is not that time to be the overthinker that you are,'” he said. “So I was just like, ‘Shut up and do what you know you should do and go and see her and just hug her.’”

When Cohen pressed Kroll for Olivia’s reaction, Kroll shared that it was like a moment out of a movie.

“She calls me and I’m like – boom – out the door. I ran down to see her, and we just had this rom-com movie moment of just like meeting in the driveway and collapsing into each other,” he said.

This is an especially touching insight, considering Kroll also lost a sibling when he was only seven years old. 

Olivia revealed in a recent interview with People that an accidental fentanyl overdose was the cause of Conner’s death, after a battle with substance abuse due to his years-long struggle with Lyme disease and subsequent treatment. He was 32 years old.

Earlier this year, the Flowers family issued a moving statement to Decider about the passing of Conner.

“Conner was a remarkable young man, with the gift of compassion and love for others, earning him friends everywhere he went,” they shared. “His values were seeded in his faith and in his family. We know his absence will be felt by many for years to come. Please respect our privacy while we grieve the overwhelming loss of our son and brother.”

If you or someone you know is struggling with substance abuse, call the SAMHSA National Helpline at 1-800-662-4357.