Kyle Richards Breaks Silence on Sister Kim’s Relapse: ‘Lift Each Other Up’

   

Kyle Richards Breaks Silence on Sister Kim’s Relapse: ‘Lift Each Other Up’

Kyle Richards with sister Kim Richards on Real Housewives of Beverly Hills

 

The Richards sisters are always very public about having one another’s backs, despite the rifts we’ve seen them face through the years. Amid Kim Richards’ recent relapse, Real Housewives of Beverly Hills OG Kyle Richards spoke about how her family is supporting Kim, while attending Us Weekly’s Reality Stars of the Year event on October 10.

“We are a family,” Kyle said, “[so] when something’s going on with one of us, we all sort of stick together. [We] circle around each other and try to be there and lift each other up … So that’s what I’ve been trying to do.”

The Richards family is at a “breaking point” with Kim

Although Kyle would love to be able to deal with Kim’s illness privately, she understands that her family has been famous since she and her sisters were just little girls. All three of them were working actors from a young age.

“Of course, you never want to show the most difficult parts of your life,” Kyle told Page Six. “But I don’t have that luxury.”

Kim reportedly fell off the wagon last month after years of sobriety. Police were called to an LA Hilton Hotel where she was observed acting “incoherent” and refused to leave. As a result, she was taken into custody and placed on a 5150 psychiatric hold for 72 hours.

After allowing Kim to live in one of her LA homes, Kyle allegedly decided to take a “tough love” approach and tried to remove her from the home.

Kyle told law enforcement officers that she didn’t want her sister in the house. In hopes that she would hit rock bottom and get sober again, the family reportedly cut off all contact. They’re supposedly hoping that Kim will be motivated to help herself when she has nowhere else to turn.

 

Though Kyle wanted her older sister removed from the house, officers explained to Kyle that they were not able to do that, as it was a civil matter. Kyle would have to file an eviction action while Kim remained in the home.

Kyle was subsequently spotted visiting an LA courthouse amid reports that she’s filing to evict her sister from the house. It’s currently unclear whether Kim’s still living there.

Kim’s “reliance on alcohol” has been a big source of conflict in the Richards family

Following Kim’s relapse, an insider told People she was in “a really bad place.” The source reported that Kim’s “reliance on alcohol has been an ongoing source of conflict” for her and the Hilton-Richards family, particularly Kyle, who is the “worrier” of the group.

“The family [is] very private about details, but from the little they’ve said,” the source continued, “it’s clear they’ve reached another breaking point with her.”

Kim’s family has reportedly supported her financially, as well as emotionally, for much of her adult life. But now they’re wondering whether they’ve been “helping” or “enabling” her.

“[Kyle] has the biggest heart,” the insider said. “She loves her sister so much and always will, but she doesn’t know what else to do.”

If you or someone you know is struggling with substance abuse, please contact the SAMHSA helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357). The free, confidential, 365-day-a-year treatment referral and information service is available in English and Spanish for individuals and families facing mental and/or substance use disorders.