Kiara Brokenbrough, a woman who went viral for spending less than $50 on her wedding dress in 2022, has died during childbirth.
On Monday, March 30, Brokenbrough died as her son, Jonah, was born, according to an obituary and a GoFundMe launched to support her husband, Joel. She was 32.
“Kiara’s last assignment was the gift of her greatest creation, Jonah, a son for her beloved husband,” read the obituary, which also attested to her faith, devotion to her family, and the inspiration of her marriage.
“Jonah, like his parents, is a fighter. He is inspiring his family members and NICU hospital staff with his remarkable improvement. Please continue to pray for those our angel has left behind,” it continued.
The Brokenbroughs, who had been married for four years before welcoming their son, first gained notoriety in 2022 after celebrating their nuptials with an infamous $500 wedding in Los Angeles, including $42 for her dress and $100 for Joel’s suit.
Inspired by the boom in micro and nontraditional weddings during the COVID-19 pandemic, they kept costs low by hosting fewer than 30 people at their roadside ceremony so they wouldn’t require a permit. They also avoided overspending at the reception by having guests go Dutch.
“We knew that it would not be wise for us to go into debt over a wedding or to spend a lot of money just to have a wedding,” Kiara told the Los Angeles Times at the time.
Joel, a high school basketball coach, and Kiara, a social media manager, originally met in 2016 in Las Vegas and reconnected in 2018 before getting engaged and tying the knot less than a month later.
According to GoFundMe, the couple was in the process of moving from West Virginia back to their native California when Kiara “unexpectedly” died. Jonah remains in the NICU. Just days before, the couple celebrated with a lively California-based gender reveal and shower.
“A peak into our California Gender Reveal/Baby Shower #BabyBrk,” the expectant mother wrote in the caption of a post on Instagram that included a carousel of images.
The set of pics kicked off with one of her in a white cotton dress, posing in front of massive letters spelling “Baby BRK,” followed by shots of the couple and plenty of footage from the festivities, which included a basketball game. Earlier posts show the mom preparing alongside her husband, including stopping in luxury baby showrooms, taking intimate family photos with her bump on full display, revealing the big news to their parents, and even the moment she confirmed her pregnancy.
“Believe it or not, despite my reaction, this baby was PLANNED and PRAYED for… I am just dramatic & couldn’t believe it at first,” she wrote in the caption of the post.
While there are currently no more details surrounding Kiara’s death including what exactly happened, it did arrive just weeks before the 10th annual Black Maternal Health Week kicked off from April 11 through April 17, which spreads awareness around the Black Maternal Health crisis and the fact that Black women continue to be three to four times more likely to die during childbirth or from pregnancy related causes than any other demographic.
“Understandably, this tragedy has taken a devastating toll on Joel. He will need support (physically, mentally, spiritually, and monetarily) from his family and friends and the kindness of strangers,” the GoFundMe reads.
“As Joel begins this unimaginable next chapter as an only parent to a premie in the NICU, and while dealing with the heartache of losing his beloved wife (whom he loves so much), he needs all the support he can get as he tries to navigate life without her,” it continued. “If you can find it in your heart, please support Joel and Baby Jonah as they face a future that no one could have ever imagined.”
The fundraiser is just shy of reaching its $45,000 goal. In a follow-up post on the GoFundMe, Joel shared a tribute to his newborn son.
“You are truly blessed, and there is great purpose and authority within your bloodline,” he wrote.
“God, in His perfect timing, will guide how your life is used for His glory. I believe you will accomplish even greater things than I have, and I will be with you every step of the way,” he continued. “I have been entrusted by God with the responsibility to raise you, to teach you His word, and to prepare you to carry forward and fulfill your calling. I have made a covenant with the Lord and with your mother to ensure that you continue the legacy we have begun, honoring God in all that we do.”
