Over the last decade, Ree Drummond’s career has grown from her Pioneer Woman blog and books to her successful Food Network TV show.
But, the famous chef and married mother of four, who frequently appears on shows such as The Today Show and The View, has had significant personal traumas in recent years.
Find out what we know about her older brother Michael Smith’s terrible death below.
Michael Drummond died on October 30, 2021, at 54.
His cause of death was never made public, though a close friend of Michael’s named Dan Dalton did say in a social media tribute that Michael “gone fast and did not suffer.”
Dan was the first to post about Mike’s death on social media. However, Ree Drummond’s sister, Betsy, also relayed the news on November 2 via an Instagram post.
The Food Network star came to Facebook a day later to express her grief over her brother’s passing.
Following Mike’s death, the cookbook author stated on social media about his departure.
“Michael Smith, you were everything,” Ree wrote the Wednesday after his death.
“It’s impossible to sum up, the life of someone as flawless as my brother Michael, so I’m not going to attempt,” she concluded. “He was my first pal and buddy, seventeen months older than me, and I’m so grateful for nearly 50 years of images and memories.”
“Please pray for my parents, whose loyalty to Mike was limitless, and who will feel this loss most profoundly,” the 54-year-old wrote.
Michael Smith, often known as Mike to his friends and family, was the older brother of Food Network star Ree Drummond. Ree and Mike were two of four children raised in Bartlesville by their parents.
Michael had special needs and was a well-known personality in his hometown of Bartlesville, Oklahoma, where he was particularly interested in the work of local first responders.
Following his passing, the Washington County Emergency Management Agency paid tribute to him, describing him as a “legend and icon” who “would be profoundly lost and always remembered.”
The Bartlesville Professional Firefighters Union also paid tribute to Michael, calling him “one of a kind” and confessing, “We are going to miss our friend Michael Smith.”
Michael was also well-known to his sister Ree’s following, having been on her Food Network show, The Pioneer Woman, and being frequently mentioned in her blog postings.
Following Mike’s death, the two siblings’ younger sister Betsy also shared a message on social media.
“This past weekend, we lost Michael, my beautiful and amazing brother,” she posted on Instagram. “He was one-of-a-kind, and he will be missed by many individuals who adored him. I’m grateful for his life, the connections he established, and his loving, joyful, and self-sufficient character. Mikey, I will always love you.”
