Kortni Gilson From ‘Floribama Shore’ Is Advocating for People to Care for Their Mental Health

Fans of MTV’s reality show Floribama Shore have been watching the summer escapades of the castmates for several seasons. Kortni Gilson was one of the originals, but she’s been MIA for a season-and-a-half.

Kortni’s absence from the show has been felt, but she seems to be in a much better place now. So, where is she now? Here’s what we know.

Kortni had been a part of the original cast of Floribama Shore since it premiered in 2017. However, fans have noticed that mid-way through Season 3, Kortni experienced medical issues, which prompted her to leave the show early.

Fans were hopeful Kortni would return to the show by the end of the season, and when she didn’t, they held on to the hope she’d be well enough to re-join the cast for Season 4.

But, unfortunately, Kortni didn’t return to Floribama Shore. In January 2020, Kortni had decided she would not be returning. At the time, she was more vague about the reasons for her absence. However, she shared that there was “so much going on” at that time in her life, and she needed her focus elsewhere.

Kortni explained in an interview with MTV that she had hit “rock bottom.” She specifically addressed a scene during Season 3 where she revealed deep personal trauma.

“When the cameras shut off, I was screaming about all of the sexual assault that happened to me,” Kortni told Dr. Drew at the time. “I couldn’t tell anybody about it. These were guys that I knew, that I thought I was friends with, which was why I felt so stupid to trust somebody.”

So, fans weren’t too surprised to see her absent from the Season 4 trailer and again when the series aired. While cameras for MTV were no longer following Kortni, she hasn’t gone anywhere.

And she’s continued to share her path to healing on social media and has been vocal about her belief that everyone needs to be more mindful of their mental health.

“I feel I’m finally getting back on my feet,” she wrote on Instagram at the time. “I’m setting some new goals for myself to get back on track.”

And that’s been the theme of her social media since. She’s not stopped sharing the challenging moments. Instead, she has been using her story and journey of rediscovery to advocate for people’s mental health.

On September 15, 2021, Kortni shared a before-and-after photo of herself to highlight how depression can impact someone. “Then vs now,” she wrote in the caption. “How do we get out of depression? How do we even know if we’re depressed?”

Continuing, Kortni shared that she had denied her depression for years, admitting she didn’t realize the extent to which it impacted her life. And then Kortni opened up about what had worked for her to reframe her mind and mental health.

“Day by day, try to find something positive about yourself and start the day off by accomplishing some sort of task- even if that’s just getting out of bed, showering brushing your teeth, or brushing your hair,” she wrote. “It all starts with taking care of yourself. Be what you look for in others.”

If you or someone you know needs help, use SAMHSA's Behavioral Health Treatment Services Locator to find support for mental health and substance abuse disorders in your area: https://findtreatment.samhsa.gov, or call 1-800-662-4357 for 24-hour assistance.