New details surrounding Chuck Potthast’s death have been revealed.
On Friday, December 12, TMZ released the audio from the 911 call made by Potthast’s son, who told the dispatcher he had found his father unresponsive in the bathtub and feared the worst.
In the recording, his son can be heard explaining that Chuck was “lying in the bathtub and bleeding from the chest,” adding that he had no idea what may have happened. When the dispatcher asked if his father was conscious, he responded that Chuck didn’t appear to be alive.
The operator then instructed him to try turning his father onto his side, but the son explained that Chuck was face down in the bathtub, making it difficult to move him.
ews of Chuck Potthast’s passing was first shared publicly last month by his daughter, Elizabeth Castravet, who revealed that their family was “devastated” by the loss. Another daughter, Rebekah Lichtwerch, paid tribute to her father with a deeply emotional message, writing that her world had been “distorted into a place I don’t understand.” Potthast was 64 years old.
In the months before his death, Potthast had been open about ongoing health struggles. In September, he shared on social media that he had undergone an extensive eight-hour surgery to repair a hernia and a collapsed stomach. However, it remains unclear whether those complications contributed to his passing. He had previously revealed in 2022 that he was battling glioblastoma, an aggressive form of brain cancer, but later confirmed that he was officially cancer-free.
Following his death, Potthast’s son-in-law and 90 Day Fiancé star Andrei Castravet addressed the public amid growing speculation about the cause. In a somber video shared on November 25, Andrei honored the man who “meant a lot to our family,” describing the weeks since his passing as “incredibly, incredibly tough.”
He firmly denied reports claiming Potthast died from cancer, calling them “rumors,” “clickbait,” and “lies.” Andrei explained that the family plans to share more details when they are ready, emphasizing that it will be done “in a respectful way” as they continue to grieve.
Andrei also reflected on Potthast’s unexpected rise to reality-TV fame, noting how much he genuinely enjoyed filming. “He truly loved it,” he shared, adding that the most meaningful moments were not the explosive scenes viewers saw on TLC, but the quieter, off-camera memories shared with family.