A version of David Bromstad has been extremely ill for several years somewhere in the social media apparatus. He has been identified as having stage IV glioblastoma. He has shared pictures from Orlando hospital beds. He has had surgery and sent sincere messages regarding his recuperation. Several posts posted in Facebook groups with hundreds of thousands of followers claim that he has been in truly terrible shape. It’s all untrue. However, people continue to believe the posts, and that is actually the more intriguing part of the story.
Early in 2026, several Facebook posts with pictures of the HGTV star in hospital gowns and allegations of a serious diagnosis appeared. In one post, it was stated that Bromstad had been diagnosed with stage IV glioblastoma, which is one of the most deadly types of brain cancer. In another, it was suggested that he had undergone successful surgery, but it would take a long time for him to recover. Fans who actually liked him were alarmed by how convincing the pictures were. The images that were making the rounds on Facebook were probably created by artificial intelligence and originated from a phoney account that used his name. The fact that Bromstad himself stated on his verified Instagram account that it is his only account and that he will never ask for money speaks volumes about how these scams typically operate.
David Bromstad has not disclosed any ongoing, significant health problems on the internet and is not presently in the hospital. Compared to what the fake posts have attempted to create, the true picture of his health is less dramatic and, in some respects, more truthful. In his December 2025 HGTV special, he discussed his struggles with substance abuse and the associated mental health issues. After using drugs while remodeling his Florida home—which was badly damaged in a storm and eventually had to be demolished down to the studs out of fear of mold—Bromstad checked himself into rehab. He claimed that he had never adequately addressed childhood trauma, particularly being bullied as a teenager, and that the stress of the situation caused him to engage in unhealthy behaviors. “My childhood fantasy, my house, was broken, like me,” he stated in the special. When presented on camera, that kind of candor usually sticks with viewers.
Bromstad first disclosed his sobriety in an August 2023 Instagram post while commemorating his 50th birthday. He is currently sober. In Norway, he ascended a mountain. He completed the remodeling of his house. He continued to work. A person who experiences all of that and decides to talk about it in public is genuinely captivating; it’s not because he wants sympathy, but rather because he seems to think it’s important that people recognize his humanity. “My creative talent has always remained secure and steady despite substance abuse and not being kind to myself,” he told TV Insider. Knowing what came before that line makes it land differently.
Before anyone could explain, there was one instance in 2025 that momentarily caused fans to panic. Bromstad shared a picture of himself with an oxygen tube in his nose on Instagram without providing any background information or a caption. The concerned remarks piled up swiftly. He appeared somewhat amused by the response when he followed up the following day to explain that he had only been in a hyperbaric chamber for oxygen therapy, a procedure that delivers pure oxygen under high pressure with the goal of enhancing tissue health. He struggles with substance abuse and mental health, but he has no other known health problems and is still committed to his career.
Given that Bromstad has been so forthright about the actual challenges in his life, it’s difficult to ignore the particular cruelty of the fake illness posts. In exchange for his disclosure of his addiction, childhood trauma, and treatment experience, anonymous accounts have spent months fabricating a cancer diagnosis for him and using AI-generated images to make it appear plausible. Additionally, some posts made false claims about his mother’s death, while others said he had become engaged. Clicks, followers, or a mix of the two appear to be the objective. Regardless of the reason, the result is to obscure the true story of a person who has been remarkably open about his experiences.
David Bromstad is still active, employed, and hosting My Lottery Dream Home as of the middle of 2026. He suggested that his December 2025 special was likely the first and last time he would design in front of America, hinting that he might take a break from renovation and design-focused shows. However, that sounds more like someone deciding how to spend his energy than someone who is ill. The distinction is important.