“Southern Charm” fans will be devastated to learn that Michael Kelcourse died at the age of 70 on October 22. His friend Luzanne Otte shared on his CaringBridge page that the cause of death was related to the spinal cord stroke he had in 2021 and the more recent stroke he suffered in early October. “Despite relatively constant disappointment from an unending stream of medical complications related to spinal cord injury, the only time I ever witnessed Michael with spirits down was when he started hospice care in June. Osteomyelitis symptoms had taken a toll and readied Michael to embrace death as his next great adventure,” Otte wrote.
Following the news of Kelcourse’s death, “Southern Charm” matriarch Patricia Altschul confirmed on Instagram, “It is with great sadness that we announce the peaceful passing of our beloved Michael, who left us Monday evening in Sarasota. More than just a devoted butler, he was a trusted friend, confidant, and member of our family for over 20 years.” She continued, “Michael’s time on ‘Southern Charm’ endeared him to many, as his humor and kindness quickly made him a fan favorite. Over the past two weeks, he was deeply touched by the incredible number of cards and well-wishes from fans.”
Bravo fans have loved Kelcourse since he first appeared as Altschul’s refined butler in “Southern Charm” Season 1, but he was never able to fully recover from his spinal cord injury and, sadly, the last time viewers saw him was a brief cameo in Season 9.
Michael Kelcourse had health issues for years
The start of Michael Kelcourse’s health decline began when he was hospitalized due to a spinal cord stroke in February 2021. Patricia Altschul’s son, Whitney Sudler-Smith, told Bravo, “Although this tragedy has caused significant nerve damage and impairment, with the help of the outstanding physicians at the Shepherd Center in Atlanta, we are hopeful Michael will soon recover.” The following year, Altschul gave “Southern Charm” fans an update and shared, “Congratulations to Michael …He is on his way to a new life in Florida in a beautiful assisted living facility… importantly near his family… All best wishes to Michael on this new adventure.”
Unfortunately, in September, Luzanne Otte hinted on CaringBridge that Kelcourse’s health was rapidly declining. As she shared stories of the Bravo star’s kind nature, she added, “As Michael enters into the final chapter of life, he feels blessed and grateful to be surrounded by so much love from strangers and friends alike; a testament to a life well-lived.” Altschul announced that Kelcourse had a stroke on October 7 and told fans, “His birthday is October 13th and it would be so nice if his fans would send him a card.” She concluded, “I know he means so much to so many of you.” Kelcourse will indeed be missed by many.
