The Tragedy Of Mina Starsiak Hawk From HGTV's Good Bones Is So Sad

This article contains mentions of alcoholism. 

Mina Starsiak Hawk stole the hearts of HGTV watchers after appearing on the 2016 renovation show, "Good Bones," alongside her mom, Karen Laine, on the network. To some people's surprise, however, the series almost didn't happen.

We all get those scam calls on our phones that we outright ignore, but on rare occasions, it can be HGTV on the other line. Hawk told PopSugar in 2017, "She [the casting agent] kept calling my cell phone, and I thought it was someone messing with me first and trying to get our business information," she continued, "But then I heard it was [a casting agent]...and we started a conversation about whether it was something we'd be interested in. We were like, 'Sounds like a party. Let's do it!'" The HGTV show catapulted her into fame as she went on to star in similar renovation shows, including "Rock the Block" and "A Very Brady Renovation." For seven years, "Good Bones" felt like a party, or at least that's what it looked like from an outside point of view.

But don't let the good in "Good Bones" fool you, Hawk faced some tragic situations throughout her time on the show. Not only that, but much of the building blocks of the television star's life have been filled with struggles.

Mina Starsiak Hawk and her mom, Karen Laine, seemed like the ultimate mother-daughter duo on "Good Bones," but the reality was that their relationship was struggling. Hawk opened up to People about how tough it was to film the final season of the HGTV series because she and her mom were not seeing eye to eye. She said, "There were definitely some challenging [moments] because my mom and I were in some of the most challenging places I felt we've been."

The television personality admitted that her and her mother's relationship has had its ups and downs throughout the years. Hawk shared, "And from what people know from the show, my mom and I are thick as thieves, best friends, and because they just don't know anything else, they assume that's how it's always been...But my mom and I have had a very rocky relationship since I have memories." Unfortunately, Hawk's relationship with Laine did not improve as the show wrapped.

In October 2023, the HGTV star explained on her "Mina AF" podcast that she and her mom were not on speaking terms. She said, "I got a text from my mom this morning saying maybe we should talk. We do not talk. We haven't in a long time." It's unclear whether Mina ever decided to respond to her mother's text, as it appears the two may still be estranged.

Mina Starsiak Hawk's childhood was anything but glamorous, and after her relationship with her mom, Karen Laine, took a hit, she realized how troubling her youth was. Mina's husband, Steve Hawk, discussed the early years of her life on her podcast, "Mina AF." She admitted that she was oblivious to all the red flags in her childhood, saying, "As a kid, I had so many fun adventures... looking back, I'm like, 'What the f*** was I doing and where were my parents?'"

Steve joined in on the conversation, recalling a moment in the early days of their relationship, visiting a sketchy place where Mina used to live. The personal trainer shared, "You're like, 'I used to live in this warehouse.'" This was another moment in her life where Mina was oblivious to the questionable living conditions she was under. She said, "Looking back on it as a parent, what I refer to it now is it was like a wonderland, but with, like, knives and broken glass ... There was this outhouse with, like, a broken down boat and, you know, shattered windows." For the renovator, the way she lived was normal to her, but it wouldn't be for other people.

Unfortunately, Mina wasn't the only one who lived under troubling conditions as she grew up with two siblings. Sadly, Mina's childhood was just the beginning of her tragic life.

Fame does not mean that one's life is perfect, and underneath all the success that Mina Starsiak Hawk has had, she has also suffered from anxiety. In 2023, the "Good Bones" star opened up about her mental health journey on her podcast, "Mina AF." Hawk explained she started to feel "a little bit more stress, a little bit more anxiety" right around the time that "Good Bones" was set to air. As her anxiety worsened, Hawk was prescribed Lexapro, a medication used to help with anxiety and depression.

The medication seemed to help the television star, who explained, "I physically manifest my anxiety. My jaw locks up, I clench my fists, I get nauseous because my stomach is clenched." She continued, "So, the addition of the Lexapro was really, really helpful for me to just make all the feelings still there, but the unproductive anxiety part of the feeling kind of much more manageable."

Although her anxiety has been a bit more manageable, Hawk still has those days where she struggles with her mental health, especially as she tries to forge a new career path. In a series of Instagram Stories about her life in 2024, the renovator said, "I'm still scared and anxious a lot of the time, but I know where I want to land (at least personally) and am just working towards that."

Mina Starsiak Hawk could have never expected the tragic death of her sister-in-law, Stefanie Hawk. The "Good Bones" star revealed the tragic news on her social media in 2020, posting a photo of the two. She wrote, "There's no easy way to share this. Yesterday we unexpectedly lost my sister, Stefanie Hawk. She was such a bright light in all of our lives for such a long time." Unfortunately, because Stefanie's death was amid the COVID-19 pandemic, they were unable to have a memorial service for her.

At the time that Mina shared the news of her sister-in-law's passing, she didn't reveal the cause of death. However, she and her husband, Steve Hawk, later shared that Stefanie had tragically passed away from ethanol poisoning after struggling with alcoholism. The renovator recalled seeing Stefanie's home after her passing on "Mina AF," sharing, "There were so many bottles. Just seeing how the last however long of her life had been was so incredibly sad." After seeing how badly Stefanie was struggling, Mina couldn't help but feel guilty for her sister-in-law's passing. She said, "And then the guilt with not being able to do something about it, like, 'Well we should've gone to her house sooner. We should have made her go to rehab. We should've made her move in with us.' But nobody knew." Stefanie's death was a tragedy, but she will forever be remembered by her friends and loved ones.

If you or anyone you know is struggling with addiction issues, help is available. Visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration website or contact SAMHSA's National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).

Mina Starsiak Hawk and her husband, Steve Hawk, welcomed their first child in 2018 and didn't plan on stopping. Several years after giving birth to their son, the couple decided they wanted to expand their family. However, what you might not know about the "Good Bones" star is she had trouble getting pregnant the second time around.

Starsiak told People that she noticed it was taking her longer to get pregnant after having her first kid, so she decided to go to a doctor. The renovator began fertility treatments, but amidst this, she discovered some devastating news. Mina's range after having an Anti-Mullerian hormone (AMH) test, which calculates a woman's egg count, was incredibly low. At the time, the average for her age was 1.5 to 4 ng/ML, and Mina was at 0.25. The television star was heartbroken, sharing, "It feels like your body is failing you and letting you down." 

Mina and her husband decided to move forward with the process of in vitro fertilization, but that brought on a new wave of fears. She said, "You have all these meds and packs of needles that have different gauges, lengths and thicknesses. I couldn't even figure out how to open one of the packages. It was terrifying." Despite all the struggles they faced, Mina and Steve were fortunate enough to welcome one more child into their lives. Posting a carousel of photos on Instagram from the special day, Mina wrote, "She's here!!!! Charlotte Drew Hawk."