For the first time, Bargain Block star Keith Bynum has opened up about his mother’s battle with c4ncer and the emotional toll it took on him.
In a heartfelt reflection, he revealed that turning to art helped him process the difficult news. Known for blending creativity into his home renovations on the popular HGTV series, Bynum works alongside his co-host and longtime fiancé, Evan Thomas, to breathe new life into abandoned Detroit homes.
Her passing came just a month after Keith publicly shared that they had started to rebuild their relationship after years of distance. Until now, he had remained silent about her illness.
On August 7, 2024, Keith Bynum shared a powerful landscape painting with his followers on his Instagram art page, @keiths_art_page. Titled Facing The Storm, the artwork captures a lone figure standing before looming storm clouds and towering desert mountains — a visual metaphor for the emotional turmoil he faced.
Bynum revealed in the caption that the piece was born from the moment he learned his mother had brain c4ncer.
“The day I found out my mama had brain c4ncer,” he wrote, “I just couldn’t do anything that day but paint. This was the painting.” He ended the post with the hashtag #artistherapy. This marked the first time Bynum publicly confirmed his mother’s diagnosis.
Though he had previously posted a 24-hour Instagram Story referencing glioblastoma — a highly aggressive and often untreatable form of brain c4ncer, according to the Mayo Clinic — the caption on this painting was his first lasting acknowledgment of her illness.
Back on April 18, Bynum had shared a reel showing the painting in progress, soundtracked by the song “High Vibration” by Spiritual Moment. At the time, he wrote, “Since it’s snowing I decided to catch up on some art. Storms are rolling in on high desert,” without mentioning the personal significance behind the piece. Less than a month later, he shared that he had returned to his hometown in Texas to reconnect with his mother after years of estrangement — a deeply personal journey now reflected in his art.
On May 11, 2022, Keith Bynum shared a touching photo on Instagram, showing him smiling while holding hands with his mother as she rested in a home hospital bed. He captioned the moment with the hopeful words, “It’s never too late to start again,” and added the hashtag #lovemymama.
Raised in West Texas, Bynum discovered a passion for design and entrepreneurship early in life. According to his company’s website, he launched his first business at just 14 years old. Over the years, he worked in construction and home design, eventually opening retail shops with his sister Joni that featured their repurposed wall décor.
However, Bynum’s journey hasn’t been without pain. When he came out to his family, their reaction was far from supportive. In a Pride Month video shared by HGTV in June 2021, Bynum spoke candidly with longtime host David Bromstad about the experience.
“It did not go well when I came out, so they have essentially disowned me,” he shared. “I just kept working, and Evan kept helping me focus on what we love doing. And it got to a point where I realized it’s their loss. It’s not going to hold me back from having a fabulous life and being who I am.”
It’s unclear if Bynum has also mended his relationship with his sister or father, but on August 8, he shared on Instagram Stories that he was back in Texas—snapping a photo outside a Rosa’s Cafe Tortilla Factory in Fort Worth—where he mentioned meeting up with a “favorite” friend.
Fans interested in Bynum’s art can find some of his original paintings, along with prints of his most popular works, available for purchase through the Nine Design + Homes website, which he runs with his partner Evan Thomas.
Heavy reported the heartbreaking news that Bynum’s mother, LaQuita Jolene Bynum, passed away on June 10 at her sister’s home in Midland, Texas. She was 63.