“I don’t want her to be scared but now, it’s that trauma of what if you don’t come back,” the 38-year-old says.
Audrina Patridge has opened up about the affect the death of her 15-year-old niece has had on her daughter, Kirra.
The former reality star’s niece, Sadie Loza (left, pictured in 2019), died from a narcotics overdose in February 2023 at just 15.
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Patridge sat down with Rachel Bilson on her Broad Ideas podcast and revealed that her 7-year-old daughter now fears her mom may never come pick her up from school.
“Every time I leave, even when I drop Kirra at school she says, ‘What if you don’t come back? What if you don’t come back?'” the former The Hills star told Bilson.
“Every day when I drop her at school it’s a kiss on the lips, a kiss on the head and a hug,” she continued. “We have to do that every single day and if we don’t do it, she cries at school.”
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As for how she explained Sadie’s death to her daughter, Patridge said the hospital staff were the ones who stepped in and told the kids of the family — including her other nieces and nephews.
“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 said. “[They] read them a book about what was going on, kind of explained it to them.”
As for her own conversations with Kirra, Patridge said she is “honest but vague” — adding, “I don’t want her to be scared but now, it’s that trauma of what if you don’t come back.”
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Patridge shared the devastating news of their family’s loss on Instagram on Valentine’s Day, February 14 2023. At the time, she posted a series of photos and videos of her niece throughout the years, including several sweet shots of herself and Sadie together.
“My heart hurts to even write this. My beautiful niece is now in heaven,” she began in the post’s caption. “I know [it’s] 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.”
“Rest in peace Say Say!!” Patridge added. “We love you forever & ever! ✨🤍🙏.”
In November 2023, TMZ reported the teenager’s death was officially ruled an overdose, with one source telling the publication Sadie was able to buy Percocet through Snapchat, and it was laced with fentanyl. At the time, the outlet reported cops were hoping to figure out who sold the drugs to the teen.
