Influencer Lizzie Kieffer has shared a profoundly moving video on Instagram, offering her followers an intimate glimpse into a moment of poignant normalcy captured just days before the tragic death of her 12-month-old daughter, Lily. The post acts as a powerful reflection on grief, gratitude, and the complex journey of finding joy amidst unimaginable sorrow.
The video, which Kieffer described as having been held in her “drafts since the Friday before everything,” shows her morning routine. It was filmed while she was 18 weeks pregnant with her third child, Isla, who was born recently. The clip features Kieffer exercising alone before she is joined by her older daughter, Mia, and baby Lily. It then captures a tender moment of Kieffer feeding Lily on a sofa, followed by a close-up of the child.
“A day so normal, everyone was happy and healthy,” Kieffer wrote in the accompanying caption, expressing a universal longing to revisit simpler times. She added, “I often think about this post, how much I want to go back to that simple day. But I’m also so glad Isla is here and part of our daily life now.” Her words immediately establish the duality of her experience, acknowledging both the enduring pain of loss and the nascent joy of new life.
Lily tragically passed away on April 26, with Kieffer and her husband, Matt, revealing at the time that the infant had been diagnosed with a large brain mass. The recent Instagram post was shared around what would have been Lily’s 18-month birthday, an occasion Kieffer felt compelled to acknowledge. “I didn’t intend to write this,” she shared. “But my heart feels open and seems to be overflowing with these words, so I don’t think twice, I just write it.”
Kieffer’s candid reflections highlight her ongoing process of mourning while simultaneously embracing the present. “Days like this are not promised. They are not something to be taken for granted,” she emphasized. She articulated deep gratitude for her life and family, naming Lily, Matt, Mia, Isla, and even her own physical health.
Despite her commitment to gratitude, Kieffer remains honest about the profound depth of her grief. “Yes, I wish with all my might to go back to that day, living my journey with Lily on my hip. And I will always feel this way, wishing she were here in person for every achievement, every big event, every everyday moment,” she wrote. Her raw questions to God about “why” are met with a resolute, if imperfect, choice to find strength. “I HAVE to choose gratitude, I HAVE to find joy, I HAVE to gather strength to continue.”
This latest share builds upon Kieffer’s previous open communication about her family’s unique circumstances. In August, during her pregnancy with Isla, she posted a picture of herself holding Mia over her baby bump, captioning it, “A baby on earth, a baby in heaven, a baby in the middle.” She described her third pregnancy as a “unique position,” marked by the “deep dichotomy of sadness, pain, grief, right alongside” the joy and excitement of meeting a new soul.
Lizzie Kieffer’s social media presence stands as a powerful testament to navigating the most profound human experiences. Through her raw honesty, she offers a relatable narrative of resilience, demonstrating how gratitude can coexist with heartache, and how healing is a daily, often imperfect, endeavor. “It’s a ‘thank you’ far from perfect, but I try every day,” she concluded.