Owen’s Brother Drops a Family Bombshell During Visit

[Warning: The below contains MAJOR spoilers for 9-1-1: Lone Star Season 4 Episode 15 “Donors.”]

Brothers reunite on and offscreen in the latest episode of 9-1-1: Lone Star … but it leaves the Strand family’s future a bit uncertain.

Chad Lowe returns to his brother Rob Lowe’s drama as Robert in “Donors,” and at first, there’s definitely joy. Owen’s half-brother meets his nephew T.K. (Ronen Rubinstein) — who seems to love having an “Uncle Robert” — and T.K.’s fiancé Carlos (Rafael Silva) over dinner. Robert shows photos of his daughters (and hesitates with the name of the second) before handing over “relics” from his and Owen’s father, including a journal for T.K. to get to know his grandfather.

But then, at the end of the episode, we find out why Robert really wants to spend whatever time he can with his brother. As the two share their father’s “most prized possession” (an expensive bottle of wine), Robert knocks over his glass. Owen calls him out on his hand, and Robert shows him the tremor. It’s an early symptom of Huntington’s disease, he reveals.

Robert was diagnosed a month ago, and it’s not too bad so far. He’s having trouble mainly concentrating, forgetting the names of friends and his kids sometimes. However, he will lose his motor function and ability to swallow down the road. “Huntington’s is a beast,” Robert says, “and Owen, it’s a hereditary condition.” It runs in their family and shows up north of 50, sometimes later, sometimes sooner. Their father had it, but he died before it could kill him.

“So that’s why he’s really here,” Owen says. “No,” Robert tells him. He just wants to spend time with his big brother while he still can.

And sure, 9-1-1: Lone Star has been renewed for Season 5, but we’re not the only ones worried about the Strands now, right?

9-1-1: Lone Star, Tuesdays, 8/7c, Fox