How HGTV's Ty Pennington's Life Has Changed Due To His Mother's Long-Term Health Battle

Ty Pennington revealed that his mother is navigating a life-threatening illness in a May 2026 interview. "My mom has been dealing with respiratory issues for almost as long as I can remember," the HGTV alum shared with TV Insider. "She was diagnosed with bronchiectasis almost 20 years ago." Bronchiectasis is an incurable condition characterized by widening and scarring of injured airways in the lungs, making those affected more susceptible to infections, per NIH. Pennington continued, "She basically had COPD and asthma. But what's kind of crazy is sometimes you may have something more than you even realize. And so, what I didn't realize is that my mom actually had bronchiectasis."

Eventually, Pennington became his mother's caregiver, although he didn't exactly plan on it. "It's something that I didn't really ever expect either, but there's a role reversal that happens," he explained to "CBS Mornings." "And so the child becomes the parent in many ways." To help support his mom, Pennington has tapped into his design skills. "I try and design things around my house for my mom, since I'm sort of the caregiver, to help her relax, keep her calm," he said. He also uses a calendar to keep up with her medications, as well as upcoming events, to keep her spirits up. 

However, this is far from all that he's doing to support his mom.

Ty Pennington, who has undergone a stunning transformation, has partnered with Insmed, a biopharmaceutical company, to spread awareness about bronchiectasis through its Suspect BE Campaign. "When I begin a renovation, I start by scanning the home — the foundation, the walls, and the attic — because looking deeper can give you a full picture," he said in a press release for the health initiative (via PR Newswire). "I believe the same is true with your health — taking a closer look could help with getting the answers you need." 

He went on to reveal that watching his mother suffer with the disease through multiple hospital stays had deeply impacted his family. And he hopes his campaign will help people "have deeper conversations with their healthcare providers and suspect bronchiectasis."

As for his personal life, Pennington has chosen to see the silver lining in uncovering his mother's health crisis. When speaking with First Coast News, the notoriously busy host revealed the main good thing that's come out of his unexpected ordeal. "I was so busy with Extreme and all these shows I was on that I was never around for 10 years," he shared about his relationship with his mother in May 2026. "I'd see her at Christmas and that was it." Now things are different. "But it's brought us closer together and it's also made me realize how important she is," Pennington revealed.