Popular Influencer Passes Away at 48 Following Battle With Brain Cancer

Jill Smokler, the founder of the popular parenting website Scary Mommy, has died at the age of 48.

Her family confirmed that she passed away on June 22, 2026, at her home in Baltimore after a more than two-year battle with glioblastoma, an aggressive form of brain cancer.

Smokler launched Scary Mommy in 2008 while raising three young children. The site quickly became a trusted space for parents because of its honest, funny, and emotional take on motherhood.

She later became a New York Times bestselling author and wrote books including Confessions of a Scary Mommy and Motherhood Comes Naturally (and Other Vicious Lies).

Her family remembered her as fearless, generous, and deeply proud of her children.

Smokler’s death has brought many tributes from readers who say her words helped them feel less alone.