4 minutes read
Emilie Kiser speaks out on video of 16-month-old son on boat without life jacket
Joshua N.
Emilie Kiser has released a statement in response to recent footage circulating of her toddler son, who was seen on a boat without a life jacket.
The US influencer tragically lost her three-year-old son, Trigg, after a drowning incident in the family’s backyard pool at the home she shares with her husband, Brady Kiser, and their son Teddy.
Looking back at the incident, she previously admitted that it was “a preventable drowning accident,” urging other parents to take water safety seriously.
Kiser, who has 5.2 million followers on TikTok and 2.1 million more on Instagram, posts about fashion, beauty, lifestyle, and family content for fans.
But over a year on from the untimely death of their eldest son, the Kisers announced that they are expecting another child.
However, the parents have come under fire once again after footage of their son Teddy sitting on a boat made the rounds on social media.
What was seen in the videos?
Teddy, just 16 months old, was seen sitting with his dad on a boat in a video, alongside influencer Madi Curtis while she and Emilie traveled to Mallorca in June.
It was Madi who posted clips from the day, which have since been deleted, as one of the clips revealed that Teddy was sitting on a boat without a life jacket on.
Social media viewers were quick to question why Emilie and Brady did not take further measures with their son near the water, despite him not swimming.
Many criticized the parents, after they have advocated so passionately for water safety precautions.
Emilie Kiser's statement on the video
Emilie took to Instagram Stories to address the controversy, writing: “Our child should have been in his life jacket for the entirety of that boat ride, not even for the few moments that he was out of it.
"We are painfully aware that in a matter of seconds, your entire life can change, and we should have done better.
“We recognize and appreciate the genuine care that people have for our children,” Emilie went on.
“There has also been a deep level of anger and hurt directed toward our family, and we understand the basis of those feelings as well,” she admitted.
“It comes from the belief that Trigg should still be here, and we share that same belief more than can be expressed. He was only three years old, and should have lived a lifetime more. That reality lives with us every moment of every single day.”
She concluded the post, writing: “We will continue to do better, advocate for better and, as hard as we try to avoid them, still make mistakes.
“We can only promise that we will never stop learning from them and continue loving our children with everything we have.”
Emilie admits that Trigg's death was "preventable"
Reflecting on her child’s tragic death, Emilie described it as “a preventable drowning accident.”
She admitted that expressing her feelings has been incredibly difficult, writing: “I continue to feel like I have no words in what to say when I'm asked how I feel because the only adequate word is ‘broken.’
"I miss him so much. Everything about him.
"Especially the joy and light he brought to our home.”
She shared that she often sees reminders of Trigg in his younger brother, explaining: “I see him in Teddy every single day, and that does bring me some level of peace, while also surfacing a lot of other emotions.”