Nichole Schmidt: Gabby Petito’s Story

In this week’s episode, the Lautners are joined by Nichole Schmidt—mother of Gabby Petito—for a brave and honest conversation about the murder of her daughter. Nichole begins by sharing Gabby's vibrant personality and the moment she knew something was wrong when Brian returned home without her. She discusses filing the missing persons report, the overwhelming reach of Gabby’s story, and the heartbreaking confirmation of her daughter’s death. Nichole reflects on how her grief has evolved over the past three and a half years, the hardest parts of coping, and how her other children are navigating their own grief. She talks about the challenges of mourning publicly, the painful “what ifs,” and what to say—or not say—to someone who is grieving. We then dive into the Netflix documentary American Murder: Gabby Petito, the failures of law enforcement, and Nichole’s last interaction with Brian’s family. Nichole also shares the mission of the Gabby Petito Foundation, why domestic violence is a systemic issue, and how we can all be better bystanders. She closes with advice for parents and those worried about loved ones in abusive relationships—and what she hopes the world will remember most about Gabby.

*Nichole is sharing her personal opinions and experiences, and the views expressed are not statements of fact.

Be sure to follow Nichole https://www.instagram.com/niki_schmidt_/!

Learn more about the Gabby Petito Foundation: https://gabbypetitofoundation.org

If you or someone you know if a victim of domestic and/or sexual violence, please visit: https://rainn.org/

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