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We have tragic news to report from the world of online media today.
Jill Smokler, the founder of the groundbreaking parenting platform Scary Mommy, has passed away at the age of 48.
The bestselling author and mother of three died this week after fighting glioblastoma, an aggressive form of brain cancer she publicly revealed in 2024.
“It’s with broken hearts that we share that Jill passed away this morning, after a more than two-year fight with glioblastoma. She faced it the way she faced everything — funny, fierce, and completely herself,” reads a social media post announcing Jill’s passing.
“She was so many things: a New York Times bestselling author, a founder, a truth-teller. But the thing she was proudest of, always, was being a mother — to Lily, Ben, and Evan.”
The Scary Mommy brand also shared a statement on Monday:
“Jill spent her life telling the truth about motherhood — that it could be wonderful and impossible in the very same breath — and in doing so, she gave millions of women permission to stop pretending and feel a little less alone,” the statement read.
“She was funny, fearless, generous, and entirely herself. More than anything she built, Jill was proudest of her three children, Lily, Ben, and Evan. We are heartbroken to lose her, and endlessly proud of the mark she left on the world.”
Smokler launched Scary Mommy in 2008 while raising three young children as a stay-at-home mom.
What began as a personal blog quickly evolved into one of the internet’s most influential parenting communities.
Her candid, often hilarious takes on motherhood resonated with readers who appreciated her refusal to sugarcoat the realities of parenting.
Smokler later authored two books, Confessions of a Scary Mommy and Motherhood Comes Naturally (and Other Vicious Lies), while also making appearances on shows like Today and Good Morning America.
In May 2024, Smokler revealed that she had been diagnosed with glioblastoma after suffering a seizure. At the time, she addressed the news with the same honesty and dark humor that had made her famous.
“Glioblastoma was not on my 2024 bingo card, alas here we are,” she wrote. “Life changes fast, friends.”
Despite the devastating diagnosis, Smokler continued sharing updates with followers and speaking openly about the realities of living with terminal cancer.
In an interview following her diagnosis, she explained that her focus remained on spending time with her children.
“All I want to do is spend time with my kids,” she said. “It’s so ridiculously bittersweet.”
Our thoughts go out to Jill’s loved ones during this enormously difficult time.
