Viral Influencer Kiara Brokenbrough, 32, Dies While Having First Baby

Kiara Brokenbrough’s family is facing the unimaginable.  

The social media influencer, known for sharing her affordable wedding online in 2022, passed away on March 30th while giving birth to her first child with her husband, Joel Brokenbrough. She was 32 years old.

Joel and his wife, Kiara Brokenbrough, had been married for four years and were excitedly awaiting the arrival of their first child in June. According to a GoFundMe page created by Joel’s mother, Shaneka Greene, the couple was moving back to California from West Virginia to create a home for their growing family.

In a surprising turn of events, Kiara passed away, while her baby, Jonah, was born.

The family also shared an update on Kiara and Joel’s newborn Jonah.

Shaneka shared that her baby is in the NICU and starting a journey to get stronger and healthier. She described him as adorable and strong, and expressed her faith that he’ll make remarkable progress, surprising the doctors every day.

Kiara and Joel became a TikTok sensation in 2022 by sharing how they pulled off their wedding for only $500.

Kiara saved money on her wedding by buying her dress for just $47, and guests paid for their own drinks and snacks at the reception.

Kiara explained to Good Morning America that a wedding is about making promises – to your partner, to God, and in front of your loved ones – that you’ll be together forever. Then, you celebrate with a party! That’s exactly what we did, she said.

Following Kiara’s sudden passing, Joel opened up about the weight of his grief. 

On April 13th, Joel shared on Facebook that his wife had passed away. He wrote that he wasn’t prepared to share the news so soon, and that he was still trying to understand what had happened. He described her as a beautiful, devoutly religious woman who was now with God.

He shared that through all the challenges he’s facing, he’s finding strength in his faith. Even though he’s deeply hurting as a husband, his belief remains strong and steady.

Read More

2026-04-27 18:17