Glamorous mommy influencer makes first cryptic post after her husband killed himself at their Hamptons home amid $35 million debt
Mommy blogger Candice Miller has returned to social media almost a year after her husband took his own life at their $12million Hamptons mansion while drowning in debt.
The glamorous mother-of-two shared a cryptic quote to her Mama and Tata Instagram page on Monday evening, accompanied by a picture of a sun peaking through clouds over the water.
'In the midst of winter, I found there was, within me, an invincible summer,' the caption read.
'And that makes me happy. For it says that no matter how hard the world pushes against me, within me, there's something stronger – something better, pushing right back.'
The cryptic statement was a quote from French philosopher and writer Albert Camus.
Miller's triumphant return to social media was met with a barrage of supportive messages from her loyal fans who have been patiently waiting for 11 months for her to end her self-imposed exile.
Back on the 4th of July weekend of 2024, the illusion of the glamorous life she led was shattered when her husband Brandon Miller's body was found inside his Porsche in the garage of the family home.
He died of carbon monoxide poisoning while Miller and her two children were holidaying at a $2,000-per-night resort on Italy's Amalfi Coast, and his death was ultimately declared a suicide.
Brandon died owing $33.6million, leaving just $8,000 in the bank.
It was a far cry from the life Miller portrayed on social media, brimming with glittering parties, private plane trips and luxury cars.
The 'Mama and Tata' page, which was also a lifestyle brand, frequently featured lavish displays of wealth like $800 facials and celebrity workout classes, helping her to amass a loyal following of aspirational viewers.
She has always maintained that she wasn't aware of her husband's finances or business dealings.
Brandon ensured his family would still be taken care of despite his debts, taking out life insurance policies worth $15million which were paid out after his death.
But some of that money could be swept up in legal fees and repayments as Miller works with lawyers to determine what debts she is on the hook for.
She was sued for $194,881 in unpaid rent from the Park Avenue apartment in New York where she and her family had lived since 2021, but argued that she did not owe any money given she did not personally sign the lease.
It's understood shortly after Brandon's death, Miller agreed to pay about $4million to settle a lawsuit over a separate loan.
In all, her husband had taken out an estimated $20million in unsecured loans, the New York Times reported at the time.
She sold the family home in the Hamptons in December 2024 for $12.8million The home reportedly had five mortgages taken out on it, totaling nearly $12million.
After the sale, she and her two daughters began a new life in Miami, living in a $10million condominium overlooking the ocean which has been loaned to her by her friend, Alexander von Furstenberg, son of fashion designer Diane von Furstenberg.
Far from hiding out and wallowing in misery, sources told Page Six she appeared to be thriving in the Miami scene.
'She's weirdly okay,' another socialite said. 'She's at parties and events and dinners. She's not sitting at home wearing all black with the lights off or anything.
'She's not shopping at Chanel every day. But, day to day, she is living life. She's residing in an expensive apartment that's been loaned to her by friends, She's going to dinners and places like the Four Seasons Surf Club and Casa Tua, working out, and traveling.
'Obviously, everything's changed. But, from what we see, it doesn't feel like anything's changed. She's not super laying low. That's for sure.'
Miller's return to social media appears to be the next step in her bid to return to some sense of normalcy.
'I'm a stranger to you but I pray for you and your girls often,' one fan said.
'So happy you're back,' another added.
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Times
4 hours ago
- Times
I still have tinnitus 14 years after a big night out
I was 30 and having the time of my life when the ringing started. That was 14 years ago — and I've never had a second of quiet in my brain since. It happened overnight, on November 4, 2011, to be exact. I'd recently come back from two years travelling the globe with my husband and was setting up a new literary gift business. I'd just had a miscarriage after struggling to get pregnant, but apart from that things were good. In fact things were great. Or I thought they were. Celebrating being back in the UK, we went to see the band 2manydjs in Brighton with a group of our closest friends. I remember standing next to the nightclub's massive speakers, the sounds blistering beautifully into my head. We drank, we danced and we partied all night. The next morning I woke to the ringing sound still screeching in my ears. I'd had this countless times before following nights' out but this time it was deafening, and all I could hear. In bed, I turned to my husband saying how loud it was, how distracting. It was all I could focus on. We told ourselves it would go away. Once the hangover had worn off, the screeching sound would disappear too. But it didn't. If anything it got louder. It felt like an intense screaming that was not just in my ears but deep inside my skull. By the Monday morning I was seriously worried. I couldn't focus on anything, I couldn't settle down to work or think. Trying to distract myself and watch television was a nightmare with the sounds in my head competing with everything on the screen. Even with the volume turned up to maximum, I couldn't hear what Jon Snow was saying over the noises in my brain. It was the last time I would watch TV or listen to the radio for months. I hit the internet, of course. Googled 'does ringing in the ears ever go away?' and 'is there a cure for tinnitus?' It does sometimes, for some people, but no, there is no cure. There's no real consensus on what it actually is, either, since the exact cause is unknown. It wasn't the reassurance I was hoping for. A few days later I contacted my GP. She confirmed what Google had already told me. There is no cure. There is no easy solution. And it's a growing problem: tinnitus is on the rise in the UK, with Tinnitus UK estimating eight million people will be affected by the condition by the end of 2025. My GP then referred me to the audiology department at my local hospital. I went to that appointment so hopeful. Surely the hearing specialist would look into my ears and find an obvious issue, some easy fix? With their finger on the pulse of the most recent research, they would have the answer. But there were no answers. Apart from 'It's tinnitus'. They didn't know why it came on when it did, nor if it would ever go away. Obviously I stood too close to the nightclub's speakers that night, but I'd done exactly that dozens of times before. Tinnitus often starts during times of stress. It's only in hindsight I think maybe the miscarriage affected me more than I realised. The consultant told me I'd simply have to learn to live with it and referred me to an audiology counsellor. That was all they could do. • Read more expert advice on healthy living, fitness and wellbeing In her tiny room, over a plastic cup of water, the counsellor told me her best advice was just to not think about my tinnitus. I wanted to cry. If someone tells you not to think of a purple elephant, well … My purple elephant was large and bright and loud. For some people, tinnitus comes and goes. For me, it has never left. Not for one second. It has now been 4,986 days of relentless screeching in my ears. Sometimes it pulses, or rattles, or climbs a decibel or two, but it's always there. It's worse when I'm tired or ill or hungover, if I'm stressed or just plain worn out. • I've had tinnitus for 20 years. Here's a promising solution I sometimes wonder if I can remember what silence is. True silence. The air stilled to nothing. The first house I lived in with my husband was in a tiny hamlet in Sussex, an old cottage surrounded by maybe 15 other houses and acres of fields. I remember lying in bed those nights listening to the absolute beauty of nothing. A complete quiet. Pure bliss. It hasn't been easy to accept I may never experience that again. The nights are still the hardest, when everyone else is asleep and it's just me alone with the sounds fighting for quiet. When my husband snores, I can't wear earplugs to block it out. That just makes the tinnitus more concentrated in my head. I can't do white noise or whale sounds or rain pitter-patter. The focus on trying to not focus on the thing I'm trying to not focus on just gets my heartbeat racing even more. Instead I use distractions. I listen to podcasts until eventually I fall asleep. Serial or RedHanded or Crime Junkie. Or I'll dip into Kermode & Mayo's Take as they always make everything feel better. (Simon Mayo also has tinnitus.) Socialising can also feel like a chore. The cacophony of loud bars and busy restaurants with bad acoustics (which is most of them) exacerbates the sounds in my head. I now have hearing loss too — perhaps a by-product or the root cause of the tinnitus (no one can tell me which) — and have to wear hearing aids. It means I struggle to hear in these types of places, even with the aids turned up loud. I think twice about accepting invitations before doing a mental recce of the rooms. And when I do go out, I usually wear my hair down to hide the plastic devices behind my ears. My husband is my wingman. He knows, in a new social setting, if I've missed a question that has been asked of me or plain misunderstood. He fills in the gaps, makes sense of the void. He stops the awkward silences. My friends and family are patient, and will repeat things for me or speak up when they realise I haven't heard. I have two young boys (12 and 10) and they're used to me sometimes missing things they tell me. It's hardest with new people, having to explain and ask them to say things again. It's boring. For me as well as for them. Yet over time I've learnt to cope with this alarming intruder in my head. The noise barely quietens, but I've become adept at tuning it out. I can't change it, so it's better to acknowledge its presence there — always there — while I try to get on with other things. This summer I'll publish my debut novel, The Night Lagoon, about a woman trapped in a coercive and controlling relationship five thousand miles from home in a Central American jungle. I gave my protagonist hearing loss and tinnitus to show how isolating and lonely it can be, but also how enlightening. The book's dedication is to 'anyone who feels unheard and for everyone who cares to listen'. I'm so grateful for the friends and strangers who have been so patient with me along the way, hearing my woes and helping me learn to be at peace with this new disquiet. It's never not there, this soundtrack to my life. But I've learnt to live with it and lived to learn from it — and for that I am truly thankful. The Night Lagoon by Jo Morey (HarperCollins £16.99) is out on Thursday. To order a copy go to or call 020 3176 2935. Free UK standard P&P on online orders over £25. Special discount available for Times+ members
The Sun
5 hours ago
- The Sun
What you should say when your child is struggling – and 4 things you must NEVER utter, from mental health gurus
The way you speak to children can either push them away or build their trust. Here's what not to say. . . Parenting isn't just what we do, it's what we say, too. 8 Finding the right words when emotions are running high can feel like walking a tightrope, says Jessica Agudelo from Mental Health First Aid England. 'The language we use as parents plays a crucial role in shaping how we are perceived by our children.' We all want our children to feel safe, supported and understood. But these days, three-quarters of parents are worried about their kids' mental health, according to a recent report by Bright Horizons. And they have every reason to, with one in 10 kids aged 5-16 years old having a clinically diagnosable mental health illness.* It's a growing problem – hospital admissions for mental health problems in under-18s in England have risen by 65% in the past decade.** And while the pandemic has had a profound impact, experts say it's not the sole factor. Without you realising it, your words could unintentionally hurt your child, rather than lift them up, which can influence whether they seek support from you or others. 'The words we choose in everyday interactions can either support and empower, or come across as judgmental and dismissive,' says Jessica. 'Supportive and constructive language helps develop trust and open communication, creating a safe space for children to express themselves, especially when they are having a hard time.' There is no handbook on how we should parent, so how do we know the right things to say, especially if we didn't receive this from our own parents when growing up? We asked four children's mental health experts, who are parents themselves, to share the words they try to use, along with one thing they make sure they never to say to their kids. Kourtney Kardashian slammed as 'insane' for controversial parenting move & even sister Khloe thinks it's 'crazy' WHAT TO SAY. . . 'I'm listening' 8 Lisa says: 'When kids are distressed, they don't always know why. When I say: 'I'm listening', I'm letting them know we have time to talk and work out what's going on. "You don't have to agree with everything they're telling you. Often just feeling heard and listened to really grounds them and helps them regulate their emotions again. "Kids can balance themselves quickly once they get things out of their system.' 'I'm here with you' 8 Jessica says: 'Simply offering silence and a safe, comforting space for your child to process their feelings is often all they need. "When my daughter was upset recently, I let her scream because that's what she needed. By acknowledging her pain without rushing to fix it, I was showing her that it was OK to feel whatever she was feeling. "This allowed her to experience her emotions authentically, which is crucial for emotional growth.' 'You should be proud of yourself' Paul says: 'Instead of saying: 'I am proud of you', I try to say: 'Well done, you should be proud of yourself'. "I've worked with young people with incredibly low self-esteem and low self-worth. "By saying: 'I am proud of you', we can unintentionally give the message that success is based on how they make other people feel. " Telling a child: 'You should be proud of yourself', is far more impactful for building their self-image. "I always try to say this to my six-year-old son. The radiant smile on his face when he replies: 'I am, Daddy', shows me he knows he can do things that bring pleasure to himself, without seeking approval from me.' 'Nothing you say could make me stop loving you' 8 Lynn says: 'I always make sure I acknowledge if a conversation is likely to be hard for them. "Make it clear that you are proud of the strength they are demonstrating in telling you about their problems. "As a parent or carer, your child might also be reassured if you tell them there's nothing they could say that will make you stop loving them, and reassure them that they don't have to put on a brave face.' WHAT NOT TO SAY. . . 'I'll just leave and you can be by yourself then' Lisa says: 'It's easy to say this when your child is angry and shouting: 'I hate you!' "But deep down, they don't really want you to leave. Removing yourself also the chance to have a conversation with them and sends the message that if they are cross with you, you'll leave them alone. " This doesn't mean parents can't think about their own needs, too. You could say: 'You sound really cross right now, shall we talk about it?' "If they keep shouting, say: 'I know you're cross right now, but I don't like being shouted at, so if you keep shouting at me, I'll need to go into another room for a bit.' It's OK to let them know you have feelings, too.' 'Are you OK?' 8 Jessica says: 'It's instinctive to ask: 'Are you OK?' when we sense something might be off. "But this often doesn't get to the heart of what's going on – it's too easy for kids to brush it off and say: 'I'm fine'. "Instead, try saying: 'Tell me about your day. What was good about it and what wasn't?' Or: 'I've noticed you seem a bit down today, can we talk about it?' "These open-ended questions invite a child to share more freely. When they feel heard, they're more likely to open up.' 'Don't cry' 8 Paul says: 'Instead, I try to say: 'I can see you are upset, it's OK to cry'. It's important not to make light of or brush aside how a child is feeling. "This is important for all children, but for far too long we've told boys that crying is weak. Telling a child to suppress emotions is damaging to their development and wellbeing. "If we suppress feelings of sadness, it can lead to long-term mental health issues, like anxiety and depression.' 'Why can't you just be happy?' 8 Lynn says: 'I avoid phrases that create a barrier like this, or: 'Why do you always have to be like this?' and: 'What do you have to worry about?' "Phrases like this put a wedge between you and the young person. Try to understand that feelings of depression, anxiety and self-hatred are all-consuming and cannot simply be pushed aside – and remember, as an adult, you have more coping mechanisms than they do.'
Daily Mail
7 hours ago
- Daily Mail
WFH fuelling drug and alcohol abuse, warns top mental health boss
Working from home can increase the risk of drug abuse and alcoholism, the head of the world's most expensive mental health clinic has warned. Jan Gerber, founder of Paracelsus Recovery in Zurich, Switzerland, where treatment plans start at £61,000 and clients include royalty and Hollywood celebrities, said people resisting a return to the office in the belief that remote working helped their mental health 'may actually suffer' in the long term. He says office working and talking with colleagues encourages the body to release oxytocin, a hormone that reduces stress and anxiety. By contrast, people working from home risked suffering 'prolonged isolation' and blurring the lines between their professional and personal lives, fuelling stress. This can then result in habits such as drug-taking or excessive drinking to soothe the 'disconnection' from others caused by long periods of working alone at a computer, Gerber said. 'This disconnection can trigger a need to self-soothe, often with alcohol. The absence of regular social structure and blurred professional boundaries – for example, knowing you only have a 12pm meeting the next day – makes it easier to fall into harmful habits,' he added. A Norwegian study showed that people who worked from home for more than 15 hours a week were inclined to drink more alcohol than their office-based counterparts. Another survey from 2021 by drug recovery firm Sierra Tucson reported 20 per cent of US workers admitted to using alcohol, marijuana or other recreational drugs while working from home. 'Working in an office is a significantly healthier choice for mental well-being,' Gerber said. He added: 'Workers who are resisting a return to the office, perhaps believing remote working gives them a better work-life balance and is good for their mental health, should be aware that in the long term, their mental health may actually suffer.' The warnings come as many British workers refuse to return to the office following a boom in remote working during the pandemic. In May, research from King's College London revealed that Britons worked from home more than the workforce of any other country in Europe, with the average white-collar worker spending 1.8 days a week working outside the office. It followed a study from the university revealing that fewer than half of British employees said they would comply if their employer ordered them back to the office full-time, with 10 per cent saying that they would quit immediately. Concerns are growing that large numbers of people still working from home are damaging critical parts of the UK economy and Government. A scathing report into the UK's Office for National Statistics revealed that the agency's policy of allowing staff to work from home five days a week was making the quality of crucial economic data less reliable. It means bodies such as the Bank of England are having to rely on other types of data to make critical decisions on interest rates, which affect millions of mortgage borrowers.
