“Summer House” star KJ Dillard recently made a heartbreaking admission about his relationship with girlfriend Dara Levitan. Speaking with his co-star, Carl Radke, on his “More Life” podcast, Dillard, 28, said the pair actually broke up during the height of his mental health struggles.
“Summer House” viewers watched Dillard and Levitan become an official couple during season 10 of the series. However, Dillard said that the pair actually took a break when the cameras went down due to some of the mental health challenges he was facing.
“Pre-show, nothing was really going on for me. Modeling was slow. I’d taken a break during the summer to focus on the show,” Dillard said. “Financially, I was in a terrible place. Me and Dara were struggling because I was taking out what I was going through out on her. I wasn’t even aware of it.”
KJ Dillard Says His Co-Star, Mia Calabrese, Encouraged Levitan To Break Up With Him
Dillard went on to tell Radke that some of his challenges were exacerbated because he wasn’t in therapy at the time. “I was only on one medication for my anxiety and depression, but I didn’t realize that I had another diagnosis,” he shared.
Later in the conversation, Dillard said that his co-star, Mia Calabrese, whom he’s called a “sister,” actually encouraged Levitan to take a break from Dillard while he worked on himself.
“Dara, I think, was gonna hang on … but that wouldn’t have been good for either of us,” he said. “I needed the time, because after the hospital, I went to recovery … and that’s when we broke up.”
KJ Dillard Believes His Break From Levitan Was For The Best
According to Dillard, his break from Levitan was for the best. “Looking back, if me and Dara were dating when I was in recovery, it would have been a mess,” he told Radke. “I would have been focused on saving the relationship rather than focusing on my health. Recovery changed my life.”
According to a previous report from The Blast, Dillard shared that he was diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder during part 1 of the season 10 “Summer House” reunion.
“In the fall, I went through some heavy stuff mentally,” Dillard said. “I actually had to go to the hospital for self-harm, and I was there for a week.”
Elsewhere during his segment, Dillard told host Andy Cohen that he was thankful to be alive and surrounded by love.
“Everyone here has somewhat shown support in their own way, so I appreciate that,” Dillard shared. “And I’m very thankful that the audience is just embracing that because it’s my truth, you know, and I’m not gonna not be honest about what I go through, especially if it can help others.”
Dillard Opens Up About His Strained Friendship With West Wilson
Dillard also opened up about his strained friendship with West Wilson while speaking with Radke. Although Wilson brought him on the show, Dillard confirmed that the pair were no longer close. Things soured between the pair after Wilson confirmed his romance with Amanda Batula.
“I know people make mistakes. I’m someone that gives grace, trust me,” Dillard said. “I’ve made plenty of mistakes, and people have given me grace, but it just seems like he’s not learning from his mistakes.”
Dillard said that he’s continued hearing things about Wilson and has questioned his motives. “I’m just like, ‘Bro, what is going on? Are you actually sorry?’”
He continued, “My dad has apologized to me and said, ‘I’m gonna do this. I’m gonna be better.’ Then, it just continues to repeat these cycles. It’s just like, ‘What is going?’”
Wilson And Batula Release Joint Statement
According to The Blast, Wilson and Batula said their connection was unexpected.
“We’ve shown up for each other as friends over the years, through all the highs and lows, and what’s developed recently was the last thing either of us expected. Our connection grew out of a genuine, long-standing friendship, which made it especially important for us to approach this with care,” their joint post stated.
Part 2 of the “Summer House” reunion airs tonight on Bravo at 8 PM ET.