It’s rare for Southern Charm viewers to get a glimpse behind the curtain. Most of the time, the gang seems to enjoy themselves at events like the Carolina Cup and Easter at Patricia Altschul’s sprawling home. But sometimes, life gets in the way of those good times, and it is important to talk about it. Madison LeCroy didn’t hold back when it came to speaking about her husband’s health issues. And I, for one, want to commend her.
Madison LeCroy is opening up the conversation
Be patient with me, readers, as this paragraph will be about my sister’s journey. In February 2022, my world changed when my sister, my best friend in the universe, got the phone call that she had thyroid cancer: papillary carcinoma. I remember the day so clearly. Ironically, it was World Cancer Day. We were driving to Las Vegas with a good friend and on the outskirts of Sin City when her world changed. My sister – cancer. The words shook me. You hear the C word and automatically fear the worst. Thankfully, she was a fighter. She had surgery where they removed her entire thyroid. She has been trying to balance the medicine and regain a sense of normality. But none of it has been easy. I always tell her, “I’m so glad you didn’t die. I’d be lost.”
The words seem jagged and blunt, but she understands the unspoken emotions. And then we cry. So when Madison abruptly dropped the news that her husband, Brett Randle, had been diagnosed with cancer, I was triggered. I don’t at all mean that as negative, I just wasn’t ready. I quickly got a text from my sister, who also was watching the episode. Madison’s honest emotions pulled at our hearts, and I imagine we were not the only ones. The blonde shared in her confessional, “I thought, like, how? Like, I’m finally happy. It’s just scary.”
Madison Lecroy is bringing awareness to the Bravoerse
During the episode, Madison shared that Brett had a “three-centimeter nodule,” which was removed. And that Brett was in remission. However, Brett is now suffering from complications. The firefighter shared with his wife, “I have to go see a specialist for it. It’s like two stages. I don’t know, so I got to go see an ENT for it and then probably have to do some type of therapy.” Again, the tears rolled as my sister also had the same complications. Brett noted that he constantly felt like there was “a marble” stuck in his throat. I hope for his sake his doctors listen to him the first time he brought this side effect up.
The scene was filmed while Madison, Brett, and Hudson were making pancakes in their kitchen. To the naked eye, everything seemed okay. She told the cameras, “I told Hudson that Brett was sick, but I didn’t go into detail about what cancer can do to someone. I try not to let Hudson see me emotionally because I have to be strong for my family.” This is what I most remember about staying with my sister after her surgery. None of us wanted to show her that we were scared. So I kept a brave face. My mother talked to the doctors. And my dad stayed at her apartment, patiently waiting for updates. Just like Madison, there were “Some days I just wanted to scream,” but thankfully, we all made it through.
Madison LeCroy isn’t alone
I know I’m not alone when it comes to dealing with a loved one having cancer. But it felt good to have an emotional connection to Madison’s story. Even though fans may love the fighting and drama on reality TV, our favorite characters go through a hell of a lot. And it is easy to forget they have real-life issues happening to them, too. We’ve seen Molly O’Connell open up about her thyroid issues. So when Whitney Sudler Smith mocked her weight gain, I just could have punched him. And even Ashley Darby’s new man, Josh, opened up about his thyroid cancer on a recent Real Housewives of Potomac episode.
Personally, I think that as young people, we feel like we are invincible, but things like this happen. And I know first-hand that viewers like my sister feel better knowing others understand their plight. So thank you, Ms. Madison, for being brave enough to be vulnerable on national TV. Even though your story made my sister and I cry, I couldn’t be happier that we are having this conversation and crying together instead of alone.
You can watch Southern Charm on Thursdays on Bravo.
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