Disney influencer Keeley Whitcomb revealed on social media that her family was involved in a traffic collision on September 15 in Hastings, Nebraska, which claimed the lives of her daughter Laynee Rae, 10, and her stepson Ryder, 7, and left her husband fighting for his life in the intensive care unit. The TikTok creator behind keeping.it.keeley said the accident upended her life and asked for privacy as she navigates an unimaginable loss. "To my friends who follow me: yesterday was the worst day of my life. An accident has taken my two children from me, and put my husband in the intensive care unit. Consider me out of the Disney office," she wrote in a post to followers.
Initial reports indicate the 33-year-old husband was driving the pickup when it collided with a farm silage truck at an uncontrolled intersection. The two children were in the pickup and were pronounced dead at the scene. Both drivers were transported to Mary Lanning Memorial Hospital for treatment.
The influencer later shared tributes for each child. For Laynee Rae, she wrote: "Ten years was not long enough for me." In a separate tribute to Ryder, she wrote: "Once upon a time, I met a boy. I fell in love with him the moment I met him. Though I didn't know him all his life, I got to know him three years. Being a step-parent is a whole different kind of love. 9/15/2025." Ryder’s grandmother, Cheryl Gardner, posted on Facebook, "Yesterday, Heaven got a new angel. Fly high Ryder and thank you for blessing me, if only for a short time. God has bigger plans for you my little buddy."
Followers have flooded the comments with condolences, with messages such as, "My heart hurts for you mama. I cry with you. I'm so unbelievably sorry," and "I am so sorry, deeply sorry." As the family processes the tragedy, well-wishers have echoed a wish for privacy and strength for Whitcomb and her husband during this difficult time.
Whitcomb’s social media presence has drawn a large audience to her parenting and lifestyle content, and the loss has drawn renewed attention to the personal lives that public figures share online. While there is no timetable for what lies ahead, fans and fellow creators have expressed their support for the family as they navigate this crisis.