Influencer Melissa Mae Carlton<\/strong> has been candid about navigating the loss of her two daughters.<\/p>\n In 2024, the content creator shared that her daughter Abigail died suddenly at age 9. Nearly two years later, Carlton\u2019s daughter Molly died at age 5. (Carlton also shares daughter Lily and son Harry with husband Tom<\/strong>.)<\/p>\n Shortly following Molly\u2019s death, Carlton shared that the family got answers about her daughter\u2019s health in a postmortem diagnosis. Molly was suffering from PPA2, a \u201cgenetic mitochondrial condition\u201d that is passed down by parents who are carriers.<\/p>\n \u201cAlmost four months later, we now have a diagnosis for Molly,<\/a> and we\u2019re almost 100 percent certain that it\u2019s the same condition that Abigail had,\u201d Carlton said in an Instagram video.<\/p>\n Scroll down to see the influencer\u2019s quotes about grief:<\/p>\n The family laid daughter Molly to rest<\/a> in February 2026. Ahead of the service, Carlton asked her followers to pray for the family and wear pink in honor of Molly.<\/p>\n \u201cToday, I\u2019m asking again if you would please pray for our family as we bury our sweet little Molly today because I believe in the power of prayer,\u201d she shared via her Instagram Stories. \u201cWe are really hurting.\u201d<\/p>\n Two years after Abigail\u2019s death, Carlton honored her late daughter with a tribute on Instagram and shared her perspective.<\/p>\n \u201cApril 11th, 2024 was the first worst day of our lives. I spend so much of my time trying to remember you, while at the same time trying to pretend this isn\u2019t real,\u201d Carlton wrote via Instagram in April 2026. \u201cI try to remember to count backwards instead of forwards. We\u2019re getting closer to you, not further away. I was able to be a part of the Life After Loss Conference a couple of weeks ago at BYU and I loved how @hankrsmith Smith said it \u2018the day they die is the furthest away you will ever be from them.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n She concluded, \u201cTwo years closer to you, Abi \ud83e\udd79. My cousin had a dream about her last night running around laughing and smiling. I think I can see her doing just that \ud83e\ude75\ud83e\ude75.\u201d<\/p>\n In an Instagram message shared in June 2026, Carlton described the emotional weight she has been carrying since her daughters died.<\/p>\n \u201cI know I haven\u2019t said much since Christmas Day, but it will come,\u201d Carlton wrote. \u201cThe last almost six months have felt like trying to survive while drowning<\/a>.\u201d<\/p>\n\u2018We Are Really Hurting\u2019<\/h2>\n
\u2018Count Backwards Instead of Forwards\u2019<\/h2>\n
\u2018Trying to Survive While Drowning\u2019<\/h2>\n
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