Matthew Byars, a talent manager known for his appearances on The Real Housewives of Potomac, has passed away at the age of 37. While People confirmed Byar’s death, the cause of his passing has not been disclosed.
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Byars made his debut in Season 3 in 2018, appearing with Karen Huger. At the time, Huger told Bravo’s The Daily Dish that they “work together.”
The 61-year-old Huger called Byars a “powerful young man.”
“Matt is not my PR, but I would say that Matt is in a line of my agent, my booking person, and it works for me,” she added.
After his passing on November 21, tributes to Byars have come in from all over the Bravoverse.
Melissa Gorga, star of Real Housewives of New Jersey, posted a heartfelt montage of photos with Byars on Instagram, expressing her heartbreak over the news.
“Your personality was infectious. Your jokes – you always had them. You should have done stand up- I know it was your dream. My heart hurts Matt,” Groga wrote alongside the images.
“They don’t make them like us. I wish I could have saved you. Thank you for the memories,” Gorga added. “Go fly- Go make them laugh.”
RHOP alum Charrisse Jackson-Jordan also posted a photo of herself with Byars on her Instagram Stories, captioned “Rest In Peace.”
More ‘Real Housewives’ Stars Pay Tribute to Matthew Byars
Cynthia Bailey, from The Real Housewives of Atlanta, also paid tribute to Byars on her Instagram page.
“So deeply saddened by the news of my longtime friend passing yesterday,” Bailey wrote. “Thank you Matt for all the beautiful memories. Way too many to share. I will never forget the laughter [and] love we shared. I will miss you my friend. Stay in the light. I love you. Sending my most heartfelt condolences to the family [and] friends. Just know that he was so loved by many.”
While Huger has not yet publicly addressed Byar’s passing, she reminisced about their relationship in a 2019 interview with Bravo’s The Daily Dish. She mentioned knowing him since he was “about 17 or 18 years old.”
“I encourage Matt when life is difficult. A lot of people call me ‘Mama Karen’ in Potomac because I love helping young folk,” Huger explained at the time. “When life was trying to him, I reached out and told him to go to school, and he did, and now we work together.”