Chuck Potthast, beloved father of “90 Day Fiancé” star Elizabeth Castravet, has died at age 64. His daughter announced the news on Instagram on Sunday, Nov. 23, 2025, revealing that her father had passed away two weeks earlier.

“Two weeks ago, tragedy struck our family and it has left us completely shattered,” Castravet wrote in her emotional post. “My sweet, loving, and caring dad went to heaven. We’re trying to figure out how to navigate our lives and move forward without him.”

The family requested privacy during this difficult time as they process their loss. Potthast’s death marks the end of a years-long battle with health complications that began nearly a decade ago.

Initially, it had been reported that his death followed a battle with glioblastoma, an aggressive and incurable form of brain cancer. However, Castravet has explicitly denied this claim and called reports about cancer being the cause of death “completely FALSE.”

Potthast’s daughter Becky, who also appeared on the TLC reality series alongside her sister, shared her own tribute to their late father on social media. She described how her world had become distorted into a place she doesn’t understand following his death, writing that the pain was more than she could bear.

The reality television personality had been open about his health struggles in recent years. In 2016, Potthast was diagnosed with bladder cancer, a battle he discussed on the show “90 Day Diaries” in 2022. The disease was so severe that his bladder could not be saved and had to be removed, leaving him dependent on medical equipment for his care.

More recently, on Sept. 14, 2025, Potthast underwent what was expected to be a routine surgical procedure to repair hernias that had developed from his previous cancer operations. However, once surgeons began the operation, they discovered his stomach wall had completely collapsed, requiring extensive repair work. What should have been a three to four-hour surgery extended to eight hours as doctors addressed the unexpected complications.

Despite the serious nature of the surgery, Potthast maintained a positive outlook in a video update he shared from his hospital bed. He noted the unexpected benefit of the lengthy procedure, saying he now had a flat stomach. He also expressed gratitude for the prayers and support he received, saying it helped him get through the ordeal.

Potthast became a familiar face to “90 Day Fiancé” viewers when his daughter Elizabeth joined the show in 2017 for season five. The TLC series documented Elizabeth’s relationship with her now-husband Andrei Castravet, whom she met before they connected in person in Dublin. The couple married in 2017 and went on to have two children together: daughter Eleanor, now six years old, and son Winston, now three.

Throughout the show’s run, Potthast was portrayed as a supportive and caring father who often helped his daughter and son-in-law as Andrei adapted to life in the United States and worked to establish himself professionally. The family dynamics became a central storyline, particularly as Elizabeth’s relationship with Andrei created tensions with her siblings.

During one particularly poignant moment captured on “90 Day Diaries,” Potthast addressed his family’s fractured relationships, revealing how deeply the estrangement affected him. He urged his children to seek therapy to repair their bonds, expressing his desire to see the issues resolved. His health struggles had given him perspective on what truly mattered, and he made clear his wish for family unity.

In interviews, Elizabeth acknowledged the strained relationships within her family, stating she had her own family now. She revealed she was only speaking with her father, her sister Becky, and occasionally her mother, highlighting the ongoing divisions that concerned her father so deeply.

Fans of the show have flooded social media with messages of condolence and support for the Potthast family. Many viewers commented on Chuck’s warmth and genuine nature throughout his appearances on the reality series, noting his role as a devoted father and grandfather who clearly prioritized his family despite the challenges they faced.

As the Castravet family navigates life without their patriarch, they continue to ask for respect and privacy while they process their grief and determine how to move forward without the man who played such a central role in their lives both on and off camera.