Emilie Kiser speaks publicly for first time about son’s drowning death

Social media influencer Emilie Kiser has spoken candidly for the first time about the drowning death of her three-year-old son Trigg, describing the profound and lasting impact of the preventable tragedy on her family.

In a June 17 episode of Jay Shetty’s podcast, Emilie Kiser detailed the grief she and her husband Brady have navigated since Trigg died on May 18, 2025, at their home in Chandler, Arizona. The 27-year-old recounted how she was out to dinner with friends, just five weeks after giving birth to her second son, Theodore (Teddy), when she received the devastating call from her husband.

According to Kiser and a police report, Brady Kiser was home alone with the two young children when he became momentarily distracted by the newborn. Trigg, who had been playing nearby, tripped on an inflatable chair and fell into the family’s backyard pool. He was pulled from the water and hospitalized for six days before he died. Surveillance video reviewed by authorities supported the account of the accident.

Kiser told Shetty that the immediate aftermath was marked by overwhelming shock and self-questioning. “You can’t even describe that feeling of when your child passes away from a preventable accident,” she said, recounting the constant replay of “Where did I go wrong? Where did we go wrong?” in her mind.

In the months following Trigg’s death, Emilie Kiser largely stepped away from social media amid intense public attention and legal efforts to limit the release of records. She began returning to her platforms in September 2025. On the podcast, she described a “frenzy” of outside commentary that she was largely unaware of at the time, as she focused entirely on being with her son in the hospital and supporting her family.

Kiser spoke openly about the complexities of grieving alongside her husband. Initially unsure whether she could forgive Brady, she said a pivotal shift came when she realized the accident could have happened to her just as easily. The couple has sought support from medical professionals and even tried animal therapy at a care farm.

She rejected the idea of grief as a linear process with an endpoint. “Everything is going to coexist with the grief,” Emilie Kiser explained. Joy and sadness, support and guilt, memories and pain all exist simultaneously — and will continue to do so. She described living “minute by minute” and managing her emotions on dual scales: one for the depth of her grief and another for her ability to cope with it each day.

Trigg remains a constant presence in the family’s life through photos and mementos in their home. Kiser said one of her final promises to her son was that she would always care for his younger brother. Fulfilling that commitment, she added, has given her purpose.

The influencer also expressed a strong desire to turn her family’s loss into broader awareness. She urged parents to install pool fences and door alarms, enroll children in swim lessons, and remain vigilant, emphasizing that drowning can happen to any family. “Even if you think it will never happen to you, it can,” she said.

Emilie Kiser concluded that her primary way of honoring Trigg is by caring for Teddy and working to prevent similar tragedies for other families.