Morgan Miller, wife of retired Olympic skiier Bode Miller, marked the one-year anniversary of their daughter Emeline’s drowning death with a series of emotional posts on Instagram.
Monday marks a year since 19-month-old Emeline died in a backyard downing accident. On Saturday, she shared a video in her Instagram Stories of Emeline playing in a park two days before her death. Another post showed the same dress Emeline wore in the video hanging in a closet.
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“The last thing I have that she wore,” Morgan wrote, notes Entertainment Tonight. “Stains and all.”
In another post, Morgan wrote about the dangers of using puddle jumpers to help children stay afloat. She warned that they could create a “false sense of security” for parents, thinking they help keep a child from drowning.
“Almost every parent who has lost a child to drowning and posted their last picture of their child, the child is wearing a puddle jumper,” the volleyball player wrote. “There create such a false sense of security around water. It also trains them to be vertical in the water instead of horizontal. Throw them away and invest in survival swimming lessons!!”
On May 23, just before Memorial Day, Morgan also shared a video with Nicole Hughes, another mother who lost a child from drowning. The two have become advocates for water safety to make sure other parents do not experience the same tragedy.
“Did you know that drowning is the NUMBER ONE cause of death for children under 5? Did you know that most drownings happen during non swim times when you think your baby is playing on the family room floor?” Morgan wrote. “With a holiday weekend quickly approaching, be vigilant, be aware and be a voice to spread awareness. Do not rely on the visual stimulation of water to trigger your awareness. Wishing everyone a safe and happy Memorial Day weekend!”
Last week, Morgan also sent her condolences to country singer Granger Smith, whose 3-year-old son River died after a drowning accident Thursday.
“My heart breaks. Another baby gone too soon,” Morgan wrote in one Instagram Story post before adding, “It can truly happen to anyone.”
Miller and Morgan are also parents to sons Nash, 2, and Easton, 8 months.
Easton was born in October, four months after Emeline’s death. Although he is still a toddler, Morgan showed videos of him taking swimming lessons in April already. “I cried tears of hope watching my baby boy learn this life-saving skill… and then tears of sadness because it was all I had to do to keep my baby girl here,” Morgan captured the video.
Miller and Morgan appeared on the Today Show in April, where they said they still had an Easter basket for Emeline.
“[He’s helped us] so much,” Morgan said of Easton. “And even though it’s not gonna fill that hole, it adds that much more love. And that is a blessing. And for the kids to be able to experience that love again and life after death, it’s a way to heal.”
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