Audrina Patridge detailed how “hard” it’s been for her 7-year-old daughter, Kirra, after a tragic death in the family.
Patridge got candid with Rachel Bilson about the loss of niece Sadie Loza, who died in February 2023 at age 15 following a narcotics overdose.
“Every time I leave, even when I drop Kirra at school she has, ‘What if you don’t come back? What If you don’t come back?’” Patridge, 38, explained during the “Broad Ideas” podcast on Monday, February 26. “Every day when I drop her at school it’s a kiss on the lips, a kiss on the head and a hug. We have to do that every single day and if we don’t do it, she cries at school.”
The Hills alum revealed that hospital staff explained the death to her daughter, along with her other nieces and nephews. (Patridge shares Kirra with ex-husband Corey Bohan.)
“They had a lot of questions, they didn’t understand. They took all the kids to the room, gave them toys to play and things to color with,” Patridge recalled. “[They] read them a book about what was going on, kind of explained it to them.”
When it came to her conversations with Kirra, Patridge was “honest but vague” with her daughter. “I don’t want her to be scared but now, it’s that trauma of what if you don’t come back.”
Sadie’s death occurred one week after her 15th birthday, and Patridge announced her passing via social media at the time.
“My heart hurts to even write this. My beautiful niece is now in heaven,” she captioned the February 2023 post. “I know Its not goodbye forever, but it is the hardest to say goodbye for now. We will miss you and cherish every single moment we had with you.”
During her “Broad Ideas” appearance, Patridge further weighed in on her niece’s passing.
“Now there’s plugs, they call them, they’re not dealers but they’re plugs that are predators who prey on these high school kids and give them these menus,” Patridge explained, claiming that this all goes down on Snapchat. “I’ve talked to so many parents who’ve had kids that have died of this fentanyl.”
Patridge said that she and her sister, Casey Loza, are “healing” in the wake of Sadie’s death.
“I’m better now. I think last year when it happened, I just let myself go,” the former MTV star admitted. “It was just a lot of healing and processing. And just trying to be there for my family. I’m the oldest so I was there for my sister. She lived with me for a few months after and I helped with the kids.”
She added, “I was helping everyone and that helped me.”
