Grieving mother Emilie Kiser opens up about how therapy is helping her navigate life after losing her son

07 October 2025

Emilie Kiser and husband Brady; son Trigg. Credit : Emilie Kiser/Instagram (2)

Emilie Kiser has quietly reemerged on social media to give a glimpse of the tender work she is doing on herself following the tragic death of her three-year-old son, Trigg, and in an Instagram Story post she revealed that she is going to therapy as part of her ongoing grief journey. Five months have passed since the drowning of little Trigg in the family’s backyard pool in May, and in that time Kiser has taken steps to protect her privacy amid intense public scrutiny and legal battles over what aspects of the incident should remain out of the public record.

On October 7, Kiser shared that she had a therapy session that day and expressed her deep appreciation for mental health professionals. She explained that the “strength you carry helping others each day” is something that moves her, especially as she reflects on her own grief and what she discusses behind closed doors with her therapist. In that moment of vulnerability she thanked health care workers and those supporting the healing work she is undertaking.

This post arrives just weeks after Kiser returned to posting publicly on social media following a self-imposed break during the most painful weeks after Trigg’s death. In May she filed a motion to keep certain records about her son’s passing private, citing concerns that circularized media coverage, including helicopters near her home, were interfering with her ability to heal. A court later granted part of her request and removed portions of the police report she wanted withheld from public view.

The accident itself has been the subject of scrutiny. Authorities found that Trigg had been left unsupervised in the backyard for more than nine minutes and was in the water for roughly seven of those minutes. At the time, Brady Kiser, Emilie’s husband and the only parent at home during the tragic event, said he had lost sight of Trigg for three to five minutes before discovering him in the pool. Because prosecutors ultimately declined to pursue a child abuse charge, the portion of the report suggesting Brady might face legal consequences was removed from public disclosure.

When Kiser rejoined social media in late August, she acknowledged how difficult it was to choose what and how much to share. She admitted she was “really nervous” to post again but also expressed her love for her online community and hope that by selectively opening up she might connect with others going through similar suffering. She later thanked her followers for messages of support, and called many similar stories she read humbling.

Kiser's decision to publicly acknowledge going to therapy feels like a meaningful moment in a delicate process. Grief is rarely linear, and sharing that decision involves exposing her own woundedness even as she continues to care for her family and manage legal pressures. She is balancing the need for privacy with the desire to be genuine, reminding her audience and perhaps reminding herself that reaching out for help is part of the journey.