“My apologies to those of you who made plans to be there,” the 57-year-old wrote on Instagram April 30. “I simply cannot do anything but be with my family right now and see to our broken hearts. I ask that you hold us in your thoughts, prayers, light, and love.”

The Tiny Beautiful Things author also noted that while she would continue promoting pre-recorded episodes of her podcast Mind Over Mountain, she understands if the clips feel too joyful for her current mood.

“If it seems emotionally dissonant to see me posting cheerful clips from my podcast each week, now and over the coming several weeks, it is for me too," Cheryl wrote. “Those interviews, which I loved doing, were recorded previously, in easier, happier times.”

Throughout her career, the author has often shared just how important it was for her to have a husband as supportive as Brian in her corner. 

“There’s no doing it without him,” she told The Great Discontent in 2012. “When I was writing Torch, he believed in me more than I believed in myself. He’s always, always, always been there for me, every time I needed him. He encourages me. He believes in me.”

“He’s an amazing person and an amazing filmmaker,” Cheryl added. “Many people ask us if we’re jealous of each other or competitive because we’re both artists. We’re always mystified by that because we support each other in every way.”

And that loving bond started almost as soon as the couple met in 1995—shortly after Cheryl’s hike on the Pacific Crest Trail that she recounted in Wild. 

“Met this beautiful man 27 years ago today—literally half my lifetime ago,” she posted to Instagram in 2022. “The next day I wrote in my journal: ‘I met a man named Brian Lindstrom last night. I don’t know who he is, but I think he’ll be someone to me.’ Little did I know how right I’d be. And how lucky.”