Stepping Back In: Emilie Kiser Returns Online After Son Trigg’s Death
- Sep 21
- 3 min read
21 September 2025
Emilie Kiser, a 26-year-old influencer and mom, has posted on social media again for the first time since her 3-year-old son Trigg tragically drowned in May 2025. In a TikTok video shared September 20 she admitted feeling “really nervous” about being back. She said coming online again feels therapeutic even as she’s still finding her way through grief.
Trigg’s death occurred in their backyard pool, after he had been unsupervised for more than nine minutes. He remained in the water for about seven of those minutes. He was hospitalized but died six days later on May 18.
In her TikTok, Kiser wore a necklace bearing Trigg’s name. She apologized for being away so long and said she missed talking to her followers, even the everyday things. She broke into her usual house “reset” content cleaning, making iced coffee, putting things in order after speaking openly about what it’s like to return.
She made clear she isn’t planning to share every detail of this painful time. She talked about needing boundaries around what she reveals about her grief journey. She emphasized that grief isn’t something to sugarcoat and that she won’t pretend everything is okay just because she’s posting again.
Earlier in August she had released a statement expressing what the loss of Trigg has meant deep sorrow, a gap no amount of time seems able to fill, and a recognition that privacy matters as she grieves. She acknowledged what her platform means to others going through similar pain but also shared that some things are too private to expose.
In that video she also reached out to people who might be dealing with loss, saying she wants to reconnect, to share in what she chooses to share, and to maybe help others who are navigating similar situations. She expressed gratitude for the followers who have offered compassion, patience, love, and space during this difficult period.
When the video ended, Kiser transitioned into cleaning scenes around the house tidying kitchen, living room and more. That “house reset” motif is something her audience knows her for, and many found comfort in seeing her do something familiar. It wasn’t a big production, more a small step toward normalcy.
She said she’s going day by day. Not sure what her return to social media will fully look like. Not sure how much she’ll share about her grief or when she’ll feel ready to do so. Also, she acknowledged there are things she’s not ready to talk about and moments she’s not ready to show.
Her return highlights how online life and personal tragedy intersect. For many content creators, especially ones who document family life, there is no neat division between public and private grief. Emilie Kiser’s decision to return selectively, with care, with boundaries, shows an effort to hold both identity as an influencer and identity as a mother in grief in balance.
What stands out is not just her vulnerability but also her awareness: that returning doesn’t mean she has to bear everything. She’s embracing small moments of connection, choosing what to share, and making peace with not knowing how this will feel, or what she’ll reveal next. In doing that she says, she might help not just herself but others who have suffered loss.
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