Navigating Motherhood Alone: How Raising a Newborn After Loss Taught Her About Joy

Brielle Persun with her son, Colby.
Credit:

Brielle Persun

NEED TO KNOW

• In January 2025, Brielle Persun’s husband Tyler died due to complications related to his pancreatitis. Four months before his death, the couple welcomed their first child.
• The book influencer has expanded her content beyond simply recommending literature, evolving her following to over 23,000.
• Along with “Bookstagram” posts, Persun now shares lifestyle vlogs, posts about single motherhood, discussions about grief, and personal skincare updates.

The life of Brielle Persun dramatically shifted in a matter of months. In August 2024, she and her husband Tyler welcomed their first child; by January, she faced the reality of single motherhood.

Tyler Persun passed away on January 10, 2025, due to complications from pancreatitis. The couple was just starting to build their family life together, having recently celebrated their first wedding anniversary, while their infant son, Colby, was still under five months old.

Following her husband’s death, Brielle was already established as a “Bookstagram” influencer. She had cultivated a community of readers through her Instagram and TikTok accounts, @BookswithBrielle, during the COVID-19 pandemic, sharing book recommendations and discussions.

Brielle Persun.

Brielle Persun

In the aftermath of her loss, books became a source of solace for Brielle. As she expressed in June, she turned to fantasy novels for their escapism but felt unprepared to return to her usual content online.

To better align with her new reality, Brielle decided to broaden her social media presence. While she continued to share literary content, she also opened up about her experiences with grief and single motherhood, creating a more authentic narrative. Her platform has now embraced a wider lifestyle scope, attracting diverse followers among literature lovers, parents, and those navigating similar losses.

One year after the tragedy, Brielle reported a positive reception to the evolution of her content, which now includes day-in-the-life vlogs, outfit-of-the-day posts, and open discussions about grief.

“I didn’t feel like I had a shift of people being like, ‘We no longer want to be around for this. We came here for book recs and book recs only,’” she stated. “Even if I started to work with certain brands, I always wanted it to feel natural.”

Every step in her content evolution was influenced by her husband’s passing. Brielle noted the fine line she treads as a widow in the public eye, emphasizing how social media only showcases fleeting moments of her life.

“They don’t realize that, yeah, I’m still having a rough day. But I can’t always come on here and just be the Debbie Downer that is all the time,” she reflected.

Brielle Persun with her son, Colby.

Brielle Persun

While some may quickly judge her new direction, Persun sees it as a minor cost for the greater benefit of connecting with an audience facing similar hardships. “Being really transparent about my journey with grief allowed people to finally be like, ‘Wait, somebody else is going through this. It’s not just me,’” she commented.

Looking forward to her second year without Tyler, Brielle aims to enhance her network of supporters. She reflects on “defiant joy,” a concept she embraces to seek happiness amidst sorrow. Though she now finds joy in simpler, quieter moments, she remains dedicated to sharing that journey with her community.

“I really want to reach out to way more people through my platforms because I think it’s helpful. I know it’s helpful for me to connect with others,” she stated.

As she plans for the year ahead, Brielle envisions a peaceful transition into 2026, focusing on growth and cherishing small moments with her son. “I don’t need something big to happen to me. I just want to grow with my son and celebrate really small moments, because they’re big anyway,” she expressed. “I want to tiptoe into 2026, and I just want to live and breathe easier than 2025 was.”