Beloved HGTV star Ty Pennington‘s mother has been battling a chronic lung condition for years. The former “Trading Spaces” star has since stepped in to become his aging mother’s main caregiver.
“It’s a condition where you have chronic coughing and lung infections,” Pennington said of his mother’s battle with bronchiectasis during an appearance on CBS Mornings.
Full-Time Caregiver
Pennington—whose mother lives with him part-time—explained that he never expected to become a caregiver for his parent. He went on to discuss the cycle of life, pointing out the “role reversal” that happens when a child steps in to care for their aging or sick parents.
“The child becomes the parent in many ways,” he said during his appearance on CBS Mornings. “I try to design things around my house for my mom…to help her relax, keep her calm.”
He later told USA Today, “You can’t ever really be ready for it.”
“It’s funny how we flip roles,” he added. “I didn’t think I would ever be in that situation, but at some point, you know, you start looking after your parents the same way they looked after you.”
He explained that providing a “relaxing environment is key” to ensuring a comfortable life.
“You want them to be able to laugh and not have to go into a coughing fit when they do it,” he said.
The “Battle on the Beach” host’s goal is to help others who may be unknowingly suffering from the same ailment as his mother.
“The thing is, it can also sort of happen while you may have other symptoms like COPD and asthma,” Pennington added during his CBS Mornings interview. “It can go undiagnosed for years, which is really what happened with my mom.”
Pennington is going public in an effort to “make sure that people who have a family much like [his] own that are suffering from chronic cough, excess mucus, and lung infections, and something that keeps recurring and coming back—we want them to seek professional help.”
“I think it’s all about taking a deeper look,” he continued. “I look at lungs like houses, right? So you gotta look behind the walls. You gotta talk with experts to find out what’s really happening.”
Proud Son
“In my world, when something isn’t working at home, you don’t just paint over it,” he said in a touching Instagram post earlier this year. “You look behind the walls, you check the foundation, you look deeper, or find an expert that can tell you what’s really going on.”
Pennington often honors his mother on special holidays and birthdays, thanking her for “always finding a way to make ends meet.”
“Thank you for finding time in between going to work and school full time, to push us toward finding our light…. even when yours was running low… and most importantly … making us laugh through the best (and worst) of times. Thank you for making us all smile every day. You are one hilarious mother- an absolute original! Lucky to have you,” he shared alongside a throwback photo for Mother’s Day 2021.
