Is Kavan Smith Really Leaving 'When Calls the Heart'? Hearties Are Very Worried

Kavan Smith joined the star-studded cast of When Calls the Heart in 2015, and he became a fan-favorite in no time. The talented actor plays Leland Coulter, a business-savvy sawmill owner who saved the townsfolk from starvation by offering them new roles after the local mine had shut down. However, a recent episode left fans very worried about what the future might hold for the character. 

We investigate: is Lee going to die? Is Kavan Smith leaving 'When Calls the Heart?' 

"Into the Forest" saw the inhabitants of Hope Valley come together in a joint effort to preempt the disastrous effects of a natural catastrophe. Elizabeth was the first to spot the signs of an impending windstorm. She put an abrupt end to the school trip held on the mountaintop straight away. Meanwhile, the rest of the town sought shelter in their respective lodgings, making sure that nobody was out and about. 

The only people to venture outside were Lee and Jesse (Aren Buchholz). Ignoring the stern warnings, the two men headed to the mountaintop, witnessing how the storm was tearing trees out of the ground up close. Too taken aback by, Lee fell to the ground. He hit his head and lost consciousness immediately. Jesse alerted fellow townsfolk immediately, and Lee was taken to the infirmary. 

It's uncertain what the future holds for the ever-popular character, with many Hearties worrying that he might not be able to survive the harrowing accident. 

"Oh I needed tissues for When Calls the Heart! Lee has got to get better. I just love his smile and on a lighter note I still want to see him in that black and white swim attire from previous episode that was designed for him. #Hearties," tweeted a fan. 

"Beautiful story and emotional ending. Keeping us in suspense. I hope Lee will completely recover. He is. A great part of When Calls The Heart Cast," wrote somebody else. 

As an episode preview reveals, "New Possibilities" will see the townspeople gather together at Abigail's Cafe. Anxious to hear about how Lee's doing, they will spend the night at the prominent establishment in vain. The clip doesn't disclose whether Lee would pull through. 

With only a few episodes left, it's possible that we will only find out about what the future holds for Lee in the Season 7 finale. 

Kavan Smith didn't talk about wanting to leave the show in previous interviews. Likewise, Hallmark has yet to publish a press release about his departure. 

According to his IMDb page, Kavan has no new projects coming up that wouldn't be When Calls the Heart-related. The actor only featured in a few TV series since joining the program in 2015. 

Hearties would be devastated if Lee suddenly disappeared from the show, especially now that he and Rosemary are about to start a family. 

Catch new episodes of When Calls the Heart every Sunday at 8 p.m. ET on Hallmark Channel.