Just weeks after a joyful family milestone, a tragic loss has left a well-known social media family reeling.
Missouri-based influencer and doctor Lizzie Kieffer revealed on April 26, 2025, that her 12-month-old daughter, Lily, died. The announcement came through an Instagram post filled with sorrow and faith. This news comes less than two months after she had shared happy news of her third pregnancy with her husband, Matt.
The statement began with a single, devastating sentence, “We are shattered,” and goes on to explain that the family woke up on Wednesday to what she expressed was a “nightmare” and confirmed that their daughter, Lily, had passed away.
The message expressed deep grief and described the little girl as “the purist of beings,” and a child who brightened every space she entered.
Further context from the post revealed that Lily had a previously undetected brain mass. Lizzie wrote that her daughter showed no signs before her passing, and that medical professionals only discovered the condition posthumously.
“We won’t know more answers with many of these things for months until further testing is done,” she explained, adding that she and her husband are still processing the limited information they have.
Despite their pain, the couple is leaning on their faith. Lizzie wrote, “What we do know is God is faithful and brings light to the darkest of places.” She expressed her belief that Lily is in heaven and finds comfort in imagining her daughter playing in her red toy car or ball pit.
The tragedy comes at a poignant moment in the family’s life. In March, Lizzie had posted about expecting a third child, due in September, and joked about managing “3 under 3.” At the time, she celebrated the baby as a “new little miracle,” not knowing what sorrow the future held.
As the family mourns, Lizzie shared that the support from loved ones and followers has been deeply felt. “Please keep our family deep in your prayers,” she wrote. “We appreciate it more than you know.”
According to her obituary, Lilian “Lily” Louise entered heaven’s gates “wrapped in endless love and light.” It described her as a spark of pure joy who lived up to the meaning of her name—pure and beautiful.
Lily shared a close bond with her big sister, Mia, and found endless comfort in her father’s arms. Some of her happiest moments were spent chasing her family up the stairs, riding in her little red car beside Mia, and laughing in her ball pit.
Lily’s passing leaves behind her parents, her sister, and her grandparents, Jeffrey and Deborah Kieffer, along with Rex and Karla Degner. She is now reunited with her great-grandparents, Sheila Kelly, James and Rita Kieffer, James Degner, and Larry Keenan.
The obituary ended with a heartfelt tribute, “Though her time with us was far too short, Lily’s light and spirit will remain with us forever—bright, pure, and full of love.”
Friends and family are invited to pay their respects to Lily on Tuesday, April 29, 2025, at McGilley State Line Chapel in Kansas City, Missouri. A Rosary service will be held there at 7:30 p.m.
The funeral Mass for Lily will take place at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, April 30, at St. Michael the Archangel Catholic Parish, located in Leawood, Kansas. Following the Mass, a lunch will be provided, after which a procession will escort attendees to her final resting place at Resurrection Catholic Cemetery in Lenexa, Kansas.
Instead of flowers, memorial donations can be made to St. Michael the Archangel Catholic School, noting “Lilian Kieffer” or “Kieffer Memorial Gift.”
Outside of her online influence, Lizzie is a doctor of physical therapy who founded her practice to help women navigate pregnancy, postpartum recovery, and pelvic health.
After graduating in 2018, she sought to create resources that empower women worldwide through her Mind Body Core programs. As a devoted mother, she often shares her love of pickleball, morning routines, and family time with Matt, Mia, the late Lily, and their dog, Snickers.
Sadly, this isn’t the only tragedy for online influencers in the last few weeks. As reported previously, TikToker Dominique McShain died of incurable colorectal cancer, as confirmed by People on April 23. The 21-year-old, who was based in New Zealand, received her terminal diagnosis in April 2024.
She began documenting her journey on social media, starting with a TikTok video in which she shared her diagnosis on March 5, 2024. She revealed the cancer had metastasized to her liver.
The influencer said she was making the video because, at her core, all she ever wanted was to help people. That’s why she had been studying psychology.
“I was, until two weeks ago, a third-year psychology student, and I wanted to do clinical psychology eventually,” she shared at the time. Dominique had also been working part-time in HR. However, because of her diagnosis, her studies and work came to a halt.
Still, she wanted to make a difference and leave something behind by sharing her journey, especially with colorectal cancer becoming more common among the youth.
On April 6 this year, Dominique shared her final update on Instagram. “I want to be direct with you all: this will be my final update on my cancer journey until I have passed away,” she wrote.
At that point, Dominique had been given days to a few weeks to live. Her liver was failing rapidly, the cancer was spreading quickly, and she was no longer able to receive treatment. She had transitioned to end-of-life care.
Although her life was short, Dominique made sure to make the most of it, surrounded by the unconditional love of her family and friends. She got married, moved to a new city to follow her passions, and traveled whenever she could.
She may not have gotten the chance to fulfill all the other milestones she hoped for, but she “found peace in knowing there’s something more” waiting for her on the other side.
