Bobby Prothero Is Back on ‘Rehab Addict’ After a Devastating Loss

After spending two years away from the cameras, HGTV star Nicole Curtis returned to the network for another version of her popular show, Rehab Addict. Rehab Addict’s final episode aired in November 2019, and Nicole hasn’t been too visible since the show ended.

With her new show, Rehab Addict: Lake House Rescue, Nicole does the renovations that fans know and love her for, and she also has some personal chats where she encourages clients who have no idea what to do with their old, worn-down houses.

Rehab Addict fans were elated to see Nicole back on their screens and her crew. Her small team includes her lead contractor, Robert “Bobby” Prothero. Nicole and Bobby became close years ago, and the friends have seen each other through difficult times. In fact, Bobby recently shared a tragedy that happened to his family.

Bobby and Nicole met in 2015 and quickly bonded, which many fans saw on-screen. They also developed connections with each other’s families. Nicole has two sons, Ethan and Harper. However, she said one of Bobby’s daughters felt like her own.

According to his Instagram account, Bobby is a proud father of three and a husband. He and his wife, Karin, have two girls — Marley and Tessa, and a son, Jay. Bobby loves his family and continues to build memories with them, even years after losing one of his kids.

Bobby was in Rehab Addict for several years when a tragedy happened within his family. In Season 8, he shared that his daughter, Tessa, was diagnosed with Stage 4 neuroblastoma, a form of brain cancer. According to BeatNB.org, neuroblastoma mainly affects infants and adolescents.

Following Bobby’s reveal, Nicole rallied behind her friend and business partner and his family. In an interview with People, she asked fans to send prayers to Bobby and Karin’s families and admitted it was “the hardest thing we’ve ever endured.”

Bobby also started a GoFundMe page to help with Tessa’s medical expenses. Sadly, Tessa only lived for one more month after her family made the account, as she died on June 17, 2017 at age 9.

In her obituary, Tessa’s parents ensured others would remember the 9-year-old for how she lived through her diagnosis. One section read that she “Didn’t ‘lose’ her battle. She ‘won’ four years of her life while diagnosed with stage four cancer.”

Tessa’s illness and death were a significant part of Rehab Addict Season 8. In July 2018, Nicole explained to TV Insider that shooting and editing the season was much more challenging than other seasons.

“She was battling cancer, and we didn’t expect her to die so suddenly,” Nicole said, “I have two sons, but Tessa was like my daughter. This season was really hard to edit without us all bawling our eyes out.”

Since Tessa’s death, Nicole has found ways to make sure Bobby’s daughter isn’t forgotten. In February 2019, the HGTV star cut off a foot of her hair to raise money for children with hair loss due to cancer or other medical conditions. On her page, Nicole said she grew her hair out for months so she would have over a foot of hair to donate.

Bobby’s family also remembers Tessa whenever they can. The contractor honored his child with a charity that spreads awareness and accepts donations for children living with cancer.

Bobby also uses his account to reflect on his time with Tessa and several photos of them on the fifth anniversary of her death.

“I can’t believe it’s been five years!” Bobby captioned under his post about Tessa. “It seems like yesterday I was holding her in my arms (I miss that). I miss her a lot! It’s hard to talk about, but I just say hold your loved ones close; you never know.”

Watch Rehab Addict: Lake House Rescue airs Thursday nights at 9 p.m. on HGTV.