Lori Coble’s life has been shaped by a series of events that never really let up. The Orange County, California mother lost her three young children in a sudden freeway crash, welcomed triplets a year later, and years after that was diagnosed with stage 4 brain cancer that once again changed everything.
On May 4, 2007, Lori was driving home in heavy traffic, planning to put her children down for a nap. A big rig slammed into the back of her minivan, killing Kyle Christopher, 5, Emma Lynn, 4, and Katie Gene, 2, before they ever made it to the hospital.
In the months that followed, Lori and her husband, Chris Coble, leaned on each other to survive the grief. They made a promise to keep supporting one another and, even while mourning, held onto the hope of becoming parents again.
After adoption efforts failed and Chris could not reverse a vasectomy, they decided to try IVF. They were left with three viable embryos, two girls and a boy, which Chris later described as “Exactly like we lost,” a detail that stayed with them.
Lori later said in an interview that the symmetry felt meaningful, almost like a sign. They chose to implant all three embryos and wait, crossing their fingers and hoping for the best outcome.
The triplets, Jake Christopher, Ashley Lynn, and Ellie Gene, were born nearly one year to the day after their siblings died. Each child carried the middle name of one of the children they had lost, a quiet way of keeping them close.
Raising the triplets brought happiness, but it was layered with unresolved grief. Chris said, “It took me over four years to come out of the fog and pain,” explaining how joy and heartbreak existed at the same time.
Lori threw herself into motherhood and became active in highway safety advocacy. A family friend described her by saying, “She is extraordinary-everybody who knows her, loves her,” adding that being a mom was always her first priority.
In June 2025, Chris noticed Lori, then 48, seemed clumsy and off balance. By early July, her symptoms worsened, and he said, “Her mouth started to droop a little bit,” which made it clear something was wrong.
On July 11, doctors at Mission Hospital diagnosed Lori with a large, aggressive stage 4 glioblastoma. Chris said, “I was hoping we were done with the life-changing, life-altering disasters,” as they faced another impossible decision.
Doctors told them Lori could choose treatment or comfort care, explaining the limited time either option offered. “She wanted to fight it,” Chris said, and despite surgeries, complications, and setbacks, the family continues to focus on time together and being present through whatever comes next.
