Nearly four years after the tragic death of Gabby Petito, her mother, Nichole Schmidt, is opening up about the lasting impact her daughter's murder has had on their family.

According to Radar Online, during an emotional appearance on The Squeeze podcast hosted by Taylor Lautner and his wife Tay, Schmidt spoke candidly about the challenges of navigating grief.

"Grief is like a roller coaster and it sneaks up on you when you least expect it, when you think you're having a good day – something triggers it," she shared.

Schmidt reported her 22-year-old daughter missing on September 11, 2021, while Gabby was documenting a cross-country road trip with her fiancé, Brian Laundrie. Eight days later, Gabby's remains were discovered near Grand Teton National Park. Her death was ruled a homicide, sending shockwaves across the country.

Gabby Petito's Mom Lives Through the Pain

Since then, Schmidt said she has learned to give herself "permission" to have difficult days. "If I need to lay in bed all day on my computer for the [Gabby Petito Foundation], that's okay," she said, referring to the nonprofit created in Gabby's memory.

Despite the pain, Schmidt said she strives to find moments of joy, believing that's what Gabby would have wanted.

"I know she wants me to go on adventures and live life just like she was doing," Schmidt explained. "She would be mad at me if I was miserable all the time."

Schmidt described grief as "a superpower" she has developed as a mother, learning when to push forward and when to slow down and take care of herself.

In addition to honoring Gabby's memory, Schmidt said she remains focused on supporting Gabby's siblings, ensuring they feel seen and heard through their own grieving processes.

"We need to remember that they're still here and we need to spend all the time we can with them to show them that it's not all about their sister," Schmidt emphasized.

She shared that her 21-year-old son, who was 18 when Gabby died, tends to remain quiet about the tragedy, while her 16-year-old daughter "struggled a lot" in coping with the loss.

Gabby Petito is survived by her mother and stepfather, Jim Schmidt, her father Joe Petito and stepmother Tara, and six siblings who continue to honor her spirit and memory.

Brian Laundrie Speaks Up

Meanwhile, the family of Brian Laundrie has recently broken their silence following the release of Netflix's new documentary about Gabby's death. The three-part series, American Murder: Gabby Petito, delves into Petito's life, disappearance, and murder through interviews with her family and friends, as well as text messages, videos, and excerpts from Gabby's personal journals.

In response, Laundrie family attorney Steven Bertolino issued a statement to TODAY, criticizing the documentary for presenting a one-sided narrative.

"The documentary was what we expected. One perspective depicted as the 'truth' as seen through their lens. Similar to Republicans and Democrats fighting it out lately. Each side believes their perspective is correct. Hard to see through the lens of the other with all the noise and distrust," Bertolino said.

The Laundrie family did not participate in interviews for the documentary.

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Gabby petito parents, Gabby petito murder, Gabby Petito Death, Brian Laundrie