“He Was Nowhere When I Needed Him Most”: Kathryn Dennis Calls Out Austen Kroll for Abandoning Her in Her Darkest Hour, Labels Him a ‘Fair-Weather Friend’

In a raw and emotionally charged moment that’s already shaking up the Southern Charm world, Kathryn Dennis is breaking her silence — and she’s coming for someone fans never expected: Austen Kroll.

The former reality star, who’s been navigating the painful fallout of losing custody of her children and quietly retreating from the public eye, says one of the deepest wounds came not from her ex Thomas Ravenel… but from a friend she thought would always be there.

“Austen said he cared. He said he had my back,” Kathryn revealed. “But when my life fell apart, he disappeared. No texts. No calls. Just silence.”

A Friend in the Spotlight, a Ghost in Real Life

Kathryn says that while Austen was more than happy to joke around and film with her during their Southern Charm days, things changed the minute the cameras stopped rolling — and her real-life struggles began.

“It’s easy to be someone’s friend when they’re fun and everything’s going great,” she said. “But when things get dark? That’s when you find out who’s real.”

According to Kathryn, Austen didn’t reach out after her custody loss became public. Not even a “thinking of you” text.

“He knew what I was going through. Everyone did. And he chose not to show up,” she said, voice breaking. “He chose his image, his parties, his comfort… over friendship.”

“I Was Crying Myself to Sleep. He Was Posting Beer Selfies.”

Kathryn isn’t pulling punches when it comes to how abandoned she felt.

“There were days I didn’t get out of bed. Nights I screamed into my pillow missing my kids,” she shared. “And I’d open Instagram and see Austen out partying like nothing happened.”

She says the contrast between her heartbreak and his carefree lifestyle made everything hurt more.

“I didn’t expect him to fix anything. I just wanted to feel like I mattered,” she said. “But to Austen… I was only worth something when I was entertaining.”

The Truth About Their “Friendship”

When asked if she thinks Austen ever truly cared about her, Kathryn paused.

“I think he cared about the version of me that made good TV,” she said. “But the broken, hurting, real me? He didn’t want to deal with that.”

She calls him a “fair-weather friend” — someone who disappears when things aren’t shiny or fun.

“And now that I’ve lost everything, I see people for who they really are. Austen showed me exactly where I stand.”

What’s Next for Kathryn?

Though she's stepped away from reality TV, Kathryn says this moment — this truth — is part of her healing.

“I don’t need people who only show up when it’s easy,” she said. “I need real ones. And I’m done staying quiet to protect people who wouldn’t even send me a text when my world was falling apart.”

Whether Austen will respond remains to be seen. But one thing is clear: Kathryn Dennis isn’t holding back anymore.