Bode Miller Announced He Was Expecting Fifth Child Just Three Months Before Daughter’s Death
Four months before the tragic death of his daughter Emeline, Bode Miller announced he was expecting his fifth child — his third with wife Morgan Beck. The couple shared the exciting news in April, on Easter Sunday.
"Happy Easter from our growing Miller Family," they wrote, along with a photo that read, "Baby Miller Coming October 2018." Bode and Morgan were already the proud parents of son Noah, 3, and 19-month-old Emeline, while Bode has two kids, Neesyn, 10, and Samuel, 5, from previous relationships. So what happened to Bode's baby girl Emeline?
Bode and Morgan released a statement after it was reported that Emeline, who was named after Bode's grandmother, drowned in a pool on Sunday. "We are beyond devastated. Our baby girl, Emmy, passed away yesterday. Never in a million years did we think we would experience a pain like this," the parents wrote on Instagram. "Her love, her light, her spirit will never be forgotten. Our little girl loved life and lived it to it’s fullest everyday. Our family respectfully requests privacy during this painful time."
This tragedy is just the latest for the six-time Olympic medalist, who lost his younger brother in 2013. In a rare interview, Bode opened up about his brother Chelone's death and revealed his passing pushed him to the edge. "It doesn't really go away, anytime you lose a family member, it's always there. But the moment we found, that was really tough," he told Graham Bensinger. "That moment, obviously, I wouldn't wish it on anybody, but it was very unifying for the whole group."
Bode and Morgan also experienced a heartbreaking miscarriage around the same time of his brother's passing. However, the couple later saw it as fate after he was awarded temporary custody of his son Samuel from ex-girlfriend Sara McKenna. "It was awful. Morgan and I hadn't planned on getting pregnant, but we were excited. In hindsight, now, we can see what an incredible challenge having two babies would have been. I don't believe in fate — that everything happens for a reason — but Morgan does," he explained Us Weekly. Bode and Morgan went on to welcome their daughter Emeline three years later.
Last month, a very pregnant Morgan shared an adorable photo with Emeline at a doctor's appointment and captioned the sweet moment, "Checking out baby with my other baby." Our thoughts are with Bode and his family during this difficult time.
