Bode Miller and his wife, Morgan Beck Miller, celebrated their first Christmas since the drowning death of their 19-month-old daughter with an emotional message to their "angel."
Morgan posted the sweet words about daughter Emeline "Emmy" Miller with some heartwarming shots of the couple with their children, including one with them holding a framed picture of the baby girl they lost when she fell into a neighbor's pool and drowned in June.
"Merry Christmas to our baby girl in heaven,'' she wrote. "We miss you so much!"
The family endured the devastation of losing a child on June 10 when Emmy slipped through a back door of a neighbor's house in Orange County, California, and was discovered in a pool shortly later. She was rushed to a hospital but could not be resuscitated.
It was a crushing loss in a year filled with extreme emotions for the family of the Olympic skier and the professional beach volleyball player. They also welcomed a baby son, Easton Vaughn Rek Miller, in October, just a few months after Emmy's death.
"2018 has been a year full of overwhelming sadness and overwhelming joy,'' Morgan wrote. "We have spent half of the year mourning and attempting to heal the loss of our angel which feels like an impossible battle all while celebrating the birth of our son. Seeking normalcy for our children has been our driving force forward."
The sweet family photos feature the couple's two children, son Nash, 3, and baby Easton, as well as Bode's daughter, Neesyn, 10, and son Sam, 5, from previous relationships. The support of their children has helped Bode, 41, and Morgan, 31, grieve the loss of Emmy.
"When they talk about her and share stories, they always have a smile on their face,” Morgan told TODAY in July. “And they constantly remind us we're still here. And it allows us to bring our focus back to the things we still have to be incredibly grateful for."
As the couple gets ready for a new year, they are remembering Emmy while continuing their commitment to raise awareness about the dangers of drowning death for young children.
"Normally I would be looking forward to a 'fresh beginning' in 2019 but there is no more starting fresh after the loss of a child,'' Morgan wrote. "So here’s to a healthy 2019 full of personal growth and creating many memories with my babies, full of smiles and laughs. Wishing everyone a special holiday season surrounded by loved ones."