Inside Braunwyn Windham-Burke's Relationship With Below Deck's Captain Sandy
Real Housewives of Orange County star Braunwyn Windham-Burke and Below Deck Mediterranean's Captain Sandy Yawn have a history outside of both being Bravolebrities. But first, let's take a closer look into what's been going on with Braunwyn in Season 15 of RHOC. The reality star has been open about the details surrounding her unconventional marriage to Sean Burke, and her transparency went to new heights in Season 15 when Braunwyn revealed her battle with alcohol addiction and her journey to sobriety.
During the premiere episode, Braunwyn opened up to fellow cast member Emily Simpson about her issues with drinking. Though the two housewives haven't been that close, Braunwyn spoke to Emily about her addiction since she was the one cast member who called her out. "You called me out on my drinking last year. And instead of taking it to heart, I really pushed you away," Braunwyn admitted to Emily, according to E! Online. She went on to reveal that she "can ever drink again," a reality that "scares the s**t out of" her. The episode ended with Braunwyn taking the first step toward a sober life. "I don't know if it's divine intervention," she told producers. "But for the first time in my life, I can say, 'My name is Braunwyn, and I'm an alcoholic.'"
After the episode aired, Braunwyn shared how well-known stars in the world of Bravo — including Captain Sandy — have helped her achieve a healthier life.
Captain Sandy held Braunwyn Windham-Burke accountable
During an October 2020 appearance on The Daily Dish podcast, Braunwyn Windham-Burke shared how Below Deck Mediterranean Captain Sandy Yawn offered her support as a fellow recovering alcoholic. In August 2020, Captain Sandy celebrated 32 years of sobriety, as the reality star noted on Instagram.
"She really clarified it for me," Braunwyn shared before touching on how blunt Captain Sandy was with her. "Which was, 'You had no problem getting drunk on camera. Why do you have such a hard time getting sober?'" Braunwyn also explained how vulnerable she got with Captain Sandy, sharing, "I told her the truth, 'Because what if I fail?' And she said, 'Look, do it. You're gonna be accountable.'"
The RHOC star praised the Below Deck star for being "instrumental" in her decision to tell show producers about her addiction. "I'm an alcoholic. I'm gonna get sober. I'm gonna try and we're gonna do it on camera and we're gonna do it right," she revealed before expressing how supportive RHOC producers were. "We're gonna show the full story. And they just said, 'OK, we're here.'" The same month as her Dish interview, Braunwyn took to Instagram to publicly thank Sandy for "giving me the courage to tell my story," while sharing details about her first nine months of sobriety.
If you or someone you know is struggling with substance abuse and mental health, please contact SAMHSA's 24-hour National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).