Lori coble
TL;DR:
- Lori Coble died on January 21, 2026, at age 48.
- She lost her three young children in a May 4, 2007 freeway crash.
- In 2008, she and husband Chris welcomed triplets via IVF.
- She was diagnosed with stage 4 glioblastoma in July 2025.
- Friends rallied with a GoFundMe as the family moved to hospice care.
Lori Coble, 48, died on January 21, 2026. People reported the news on January 22, 2026, citing her family. The cause was glioblastoma, an aggressive brain cancer.
Her story reached people across the world. In 2007, a truck slammed into her minivan on Interstate 5 near Mission Viejo, California. The crash killed her three children, Kyle, 5, Emma, 4, and Katie, 2. Lori and her mother were badly hurt. The Los Angeles Times covered the crash and the early investigation on May 6 and July 21, 2007.
One year later, in 2008, Lori and her husband Chris welcomed IVF triplets, Jake, Ashley, and Ellie. They gave each child an older sibling’s middle name. The family later spoke about this chapter on television and in print. People revisited their journey in early 2026 while covering Lori’s illness.
Timeline of her final year
In June 2025, Chris noticed sudden changes in Lori’s balance and speech. By July 2025, doctors diagnosed stage 4 glioblastoma. The family sought care that included two brain surgeries, rehab, and chemotherapy. As complications mounted, Lori entered hospice at home. People detailed these medical steps and the family’s caregiving load in two exclusives.
Local outlets and national aggregators amplified updates. A fundraiser launched on July 19, 2025, to help cover nursing, equipment, and home support. Posts showed the triplets, then high school seniors, alongside their father.
On January 22, 2026, Yahoo News highlighted her death and linked back to local TV coverage. The piece echoed that she died after a long fight with brain cancer.
Background: the 2007 crash and reforms
The May 4, 2007 collision happened during stop-and-go traffic on I-5. The big rig was hauling a heavy load. The crash set off scrutiny of the trucking company’s safety record. The Los Angeles Times reported on citations and violations found in the weeks that followed. The family later spoke about safer trucking policies in interviews.
The Cobles shared their grief and recovery in national media. Their story often included the births of the triplets in 2008 and how they honored Kyle, Emma, and Katie at home. Those details helped readers connect the early tragedy with later hope.
How the news affects readers
Thousands followed Lori’s updates through local news and the fundraiser page. Her death closes a chapter that began with the 2007 crash. It also renews attention on glioblastoma, a disease with few effective options. Families facing similar diagnoses may recognize the path from surgery to hospice that the Cobles described.
For Orange County and beyond, the story also recalls long-running debates on truck safety, driver fatigue, and enforcement. Public records and prior reporting show how serious collisions trigger company inspections and penalties. The 2007 coverage documented that cycle in real time.
The family today
Chris Coble has been the public voice for the family. During 2025, he balanced caregiving with helping the triplets finish their senior year. The GoFundMe described months of home nursing, equipment needs, and hospital readmissions, before the move to hospice. People’s reporting confirms that Lori died at home, surrounded by family.
The triplets, now young adults, grew up knowing their older siblings through photos and family rituals. Past interviews described visits to the cemetery and how the children carried their siblings’ middle names. Those choices gave the family a way to hold both loss and love.
Key dates
- May 4, 2007: Crash on I-5 kills Kyle, Emma, and Katie.
- 2008: Birth of triplets Jake, Ashley, and Ellie.
- July 2025: Glioblastoma diagnosis.
- January 21, 2026: Lori Coble dies at 48.
Why it matters
Lori’s life touched people who never met her. The arc from sudden loss in 2007, to triplets in 2008, to cancer in 2025, shows how families carry grief across years. Her story also points to gaps in cancer care and support costs that many families face. Her memory now lives through Chris, the triplets, and the children they lost.
Quick reference: support and context
| Topic | Where to learn more |
| Family’s 2025–2026 updates | People exclusives on diagnosis and death |
| 2007 crash background | Los Angeles Times archive reports |
| Fundraising and community help | Family’s GoFundMe page |
What happens next
The triplets will decide how and when to share memorial plans. Friends and readers can honor Lori by supporting brain cancer research or local grief-support groups. Readers moved by the family’s journey can also revisit trucking safety actions in their own regions, from speed enforcement to rest rules.
Suggested Article schema fields
- headline: Lori Coble dies at 48, years after losing 3 children and welcoming triplets
- datePublished: 2026-01-23
- dateModified: 2026-01-23
- author: ClubRive
- publisher: ClubRive
- image: 1200 x 630 feature image described below
Sources:
- People, “Mom Who Was Diagnosed with Brain Cancer After Losing 3 Kids in Car Crash and Had Triplets a Year Later Dies at 48,” https://people.com/mom-brain-tumor-lost-3-kids-in-crash-triplets-lori-coble-dies-exclusive-11890477, published January 22, 2026.
- People, “Mom Lost 3 Children in a Car Crash, Then Had Triplets. Now She’s Been Diagnosed with Stage 4 Brain Cancer,” https://people.com/mom-lost-3-kids-in-crash-now-has-brain-cancer-lori-coble-exclusive-11870162, published January 2026.
- Los Angeles Times, “Candlelight vigil for ‘three children gone in an instant,’” https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2007-may-06-me-crash6-story.html, published May 6, 2007.
- Los Angeles Times, “Inspection finds safety violations at trucking firm,” https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2007-jul-21-me-coble21-story.html, published July 21, 2007.
- Yahoo News, “Orange County mom who made worldwide headlines dies after cancer battle,” https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/orange-county-mom-made-worldwide-203310242.html, published January 23, 2026.
- GoFundMe, “Support Lori Coble’s fight against brain cancer,” https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-lori-cobles-fight-agains-brain-and-breast-cancer, launched July 19, 2025.

