Kendra Bird is reflecting on how she’s going to honor daughter and influencer Brie Bird via social media after her death.
“I’ve thought a lot about what this account is going to evolve into, and how I am going to carry on, when I don’t feel like there is anything inspiring on my heart,” Kendra wrote via Instagram on Saturday, December 27.
She continued, “It’s always interesting how people gather when you are waiting for a miracle, or an incredible outcome, and then when they feel like the story is over, or it’s no longer interesting to them, they leave by the thousands. How lucky that they can step away, turn their heads, and move on to the next ‘exciting’ thing.”
Kendra, who also uploaded a series of clips of Brie smiling and playing with her siblings, went on to share that she’s been “afraid of the quiet” for two weeks.
“The planning of the funeral is over, the hustle and bustle of the holidays comes to an end, and now we just have to pretend that our world is going to rotate like the rest of them, even though ours has fallen off its axis,” she wrote.
She continued, “This will always be a place where God, kindness and honesty is talked about. We will continue to help cancer families, share natural healing remedies, talk about grief and greatly miss Brielle. If you want to be a part of this community, welcome, we are grateful you’re here! If death triggers you in any way, photos, videos, honesty of our reality, we understand if you need to go. What Brielle’s end of life experience was like will be talked about, because as a cancer mom, it was helpful to know what other people went through. ❤️🩹🎗️💔.”
Kendra shared on December 12 that Brie died after a battle with stage IV cancer. She was 9. (Brie was diagnosed with neuroblastoma cancer in 2020 and placed in hospice care earlier this year.)
“You are the miracle! Your purpose on earth was fulfilled, and it was the most sacred privilege to escort you home. You brought people to Christ, you showed the world that God is good, and your light shined to all corners of the earth. We love you for eternity!” Kendra wrote via Instagram at the time, alongside a photo of Brie.
She continued, “We will look for you in all the details, especially the dragonfly’s. We will never stop sharing your story. Please come visit us often. Your bedroom door is always open, and we’ll leave the playroom light on. You did it Brielle, you did everything with grace! I can only imagine the incredible reunion, and I’m so jealous; but I know you ran straight to Jesus. 😭 Thank you for being an inspiration to so many.”
Kendra has been candid about navigating Brie’s diagnosis, explaining in September that she was inspired by the way Today’s Sheinelle Jones spoke about “finding beauty in the heartbreak” after her husband, Uche Ojeh, died in May.
“She mentions that ‘even though she is moving forward, squeezing everything she can out of life, she is fighting for her joy,’” Kendra wrote via Instagram of Jones, 47. “I am often asked, ‘How are you doing?’ It’s become a question, that I not only don’t know how to answer, but I also feel like I’m completely lying, if I reply with one word answers. I know that people know our story, and when I think about what they know, and how broken I really am, I can’t get myself to say, ‘hanging in there’ anymore. I am broken and hurting. I am now going to reply with, ‘I’m fighting for my joy.’”
