Emilie Kiser Tearfully Reflects on 'Soul-Crushing' Year After Son’s Death

Influencer Emilie Kiser couldn’t hold back tears when reflecting on her difficult 2025.

“2025 has been literally soul-crushing. There’s no other way to describe it,” Kiser, 26, said via TikTok on Thursday, January 1, while getting visibly emotional. “I have no words for 2025, but that’s kind of why I wanted to make this video.”

In her first video of 2026, Kiser told her followers that it’s OK to feel “very lost” as a new year begins.

“I cannot even describe the emptiness that I have felt the last seven months,” she said. “Whether it has been apparent on camera or not, I’ve truly just tried to keep going and be there for my younger son.”

Emilie Kiser Opens Up About Accepting Grief After Son Trigg's Death

In May 2025, Emilie and husband Brady Kiser’s lives changed forever when their 3-year-old son, Trigg, died after he was found unconscious in the family’s Arizona home pool. The couple are also parents to Theodore, who was born in March 2025.

Authorities submitted a criminal charge recommendation for Trigg’s father, who was home when the fatal incident occurred. The Maricopa County Attorney’s Office later declined to press charges, saying there was “no likelihood of conviction.”

Brady’s attorney thanked investigators in July for a thorough investigation and reiterated the case was “a tragic accident.”

While many influencers started 2026 by sharing their highlights of the past year, Emilie revealed her goal is to keep showing up for friends, family and followers as she navigates a new chapter of her life.

“I’m just trying, and I’m going into this next year doing my best and trying to be the best version of myself and the best mom I can be and the best wife I can be and the best sibling and friend I can be,” she said. “In 2026, I just truly hope that I can find myself a little bit again, deep my relationships with the people around me, continue to work on my mental health and work on what matters and remember that I can only control what I can control.”

Last month, a source exclusively revealed to Us that Emilie and Brady “have been thoughtfully working on their relationship” for “a number of months.”

“They have gone through the worst tragedy you could ever experience as parents,” the insider explained. “They are doing their best to come together as a family.”

Emilie and Brady Kiser Get Matching Tattoos in Honor of Son Teddy

Through all the highs and lows of 2025, Emilie wanted to make it clear that she remains grateful for the supportive community she has developed online.

“I truly have no words and I could go on and on and on about how supportive my audience is and how grateful I am for you guys,” she said when sharing a message of gratitude. “Truly, this year has put life in general and so many things into perspective.”

Emilie continued, “One of the biggest takeaways I have taken from 2025 and losing my son Trigg to a preventable accident is that life is very fragile. … Life is fragile and family is so important.”