Lori Coble’s life has been defined by extremes of loss and renewal, from the day a freeway crash killed her three young children to the birth of the triplets who made her a mother again. Now, at age 48, she is facing another devastating chapter as she undergoes treatment for stage 4 brain cancer while her family and community rally to keep her at home and by their side. Her story has become a public testament to how much tragedy one family can endure and how fiercely they continue to fight for more time together.
Friends, relatives and strangers across the country have followed the Cobles’ journey for nearly two decades, first in grief, then in awe at the arrival of three new babies, and now in solidarity as Lori confronts a diagnosis that is both medically daunting and emotionally wrenching. Their support, and the updates shared by Lori’s loved ones, trace a portrait of a family that keeps choosing hope even when the odds are brutally clear.
The 2007 Crash That Shattered a Young Family
Long before cancer entered the picture, the Coble family’s name became synonymous with one of the most heartbreaking traffic tragedies in California. In May 2007, Lori Coble was driving home on a California freeway with her three young children, Kyle, Emma and Katie, when a truck slammed into their minivan, killing all three siblings and leaving their parents in shock and unimaginable grief. Accounts of that day describe how Kyle, 5, Emma, 4, and Katie, 2, were strapped into their seats when the impact turned an ordinary drive into a catastrophe that would be remembered as a heartbreaking tragedy.
Details shared later about that day emphasize how quickly life changed for the Cobles, with relatives recalling how Kyle, Emma and Katie were the ill fated oldest siblings whose lives ended before they had a chance to grow up. The crash, which unfolded on a busy stretch of freeway, left Lori and her husband Chris confronting a kind of loss that few parents can fathom, as they moved from planning preschool activities to planning funerals for all three children at once, a sequence that has been recounted in posts describing how, in May 2007, Kyle, 5, Emma, 4, and Katie, 2, were all lost in the same instant.
Triplets After Tragedy and a Second Chance at Motherhood
In the months that followed the crash, Lori Coble and her husband Chr were left to navigate a home that had fallen silent, yet they still wanted to be parents and searched for a way to rebuild their family. They turned to in vitro fertilization, and, in a twist that captured global attention, Lori later gave birth to triplets, a boy and two girls, whose arrival was widely described as a remarkable second chance at motherhood for a woman who had already endured more loss than most can imagine, a journey that has been chronicled in detail about how Lori Coble and Chr rebuilt their lives.
Over time, the story of the Cobles’ triplets became a symbol of resilience, with social media posts and features revisiting how a family that had lost three children in a deadly car crash in 2007 later welcomed three new babies. That arc, from funerals to first birthdays, has been shared widely, including reminders that Lori Coble lost her 3 children in a deadly car crash in 2007 before becoming a mother again, a narrative that continues to shape how people understand the depth of what she is now fighting to preserve.
A Stage 4 Diagnosis at 48
Nearly two decades after the crash, Lori’s family was confronted with another life altering blow when she began experiencing troubling neurological symptoms that sent her to the emergency room. Lori, who is 48 yrs old, was recently taken to the ER after experiencing those symptoms, and There she received a devastating diagnosis that she had both brain and breast cancer, a reality detailed in a fundraising appeal that describes this as another deeply painful chapter for the family. Separate updates specify that on July 11, 2025, Lori, age 48, was diagnosed with a very large, very aggressive, stage 4 glioblastoma, a form of brain cancer that is notoriously difficult to treat and that has now become the central medical battle of her life, as documented in a post noting that On July 11, 2025, Lori, age 48, received that diagnosis.
Family members have described how quickly their focus shifted from everyday routines to navigating complex treatment decisions, including surgery, radiation and the search for advanced options. One detailed account explains that Lori Coble, now 48, was rushed to the ER after those symptoms and that Doctors diagnosed her with Stage 4 glioblastoma, prompting her Orange County family to explore every possible avenue to extend her life, including a search for answers that has taken them into the world of experimental therapies. Another video profile underscores that Lori Coble, now 48, was recently rushed to the ER and that Doctors have been working to stabilize her while the family weighs participation in a potential trial that might offer more time, even as they acknowledge the seriousness of a stage 4 diagnosis.
Fighting Brain Cancer with Clinical Trials and Community Support
As Lori’s condition became clearer, her relatives began looking beyond standard treatment, focusing on research that might give her access to cutting edge therapies. Coverage of their efforts notes that an Orange County family is hoping a clinical trial saves their mother from brain cancer, describing how they have consulted specialists and weighed the risks and benefits of enrolling Lori in a study that could offer new drugs or combinations not yet widely available, a process outlined in reports about an Orange County family hoping clinical trial saves their mother. Another segment highlights how children in this family are in a desperate fight to save their mother’s life, revisiting how Lorie Cobalt’s son and daughters were killed in a crash on the five freeway and connecting that earlier loss to their current determination to pursue every possible clinical option that might slow the tumor’s progression.
Alongside the medical decisions, the Cobles have had to confront the financial strain of long hospital stays, specialized care and the prospect of bringing Lori home with significant support needs. Friends and relatives launched a campaign titled Support Lori Coble’s fight against brain and breast cancer, explaining that Lori, who is 48 yrs old, was recently taken to the ER and that the costs of treatment, caregiving and lost income are too heavy for one family to carry alone, a plea detailed in the main fundraising page. A related description emphasizes that Lori, who is 48 yrs old, was recently taken to the ER and that the combination of brain and breast cancer has created a burden that is simply too much for one family to carry alone, a point underscored in a companion appeal for help that has circulated widely in their community.
Updates from the Hospital and a Community That Refuses to Let Go
As Lori’s treatment has progressed, her loved ones have used social media to keep supporters informed about both setbacks and small victories. One detailed update explains that Hi everyone, here is the latest update on our friend, Lori who has Glioblastoma, describing how this aggressive form of brain cancer has required extended hospital stays and complex care, and thanking the OrangeCounty community for its ongoing support, a message shared in a post that refers to Lori who has Glioblastoma. Another note from Nov begins, Hi everyone, here is the latest update on Lori, and explains that Lori’s discharge would need to be postponed after doctors identified a serious infection, detailing how that complication forced the family to delay plans to bring her home and underscoring how fragile her condition remains, as described in the message that opens with Hi everyone, here is the latest update on Lori.
More recently, Lori’s husband has shared direct messages from her bedside, offering a glimpse into both her challenges and her determination. One post on her account begins, Hello everyone, Here is an update from Chris, and continues, For the past few weeks, our goal has been to bring Lori home, explaining that the main obstacle has been stabilizing her medically so she can safely leave the hospital, a sentiment captured in the update that starts with Hello everyone, Here is an update from Chris. For the. Another message from Jan notes that Weeks later, the infection is improving, according to Leonard, and She says Lori has more cognitive abilities, enough to recognize loved ones and respond in small but meaningful ways, even as Leonard admits, I am helpless, a raw assessment shared in an account that reports how Weeks later, the infection is improving, according to Leonard. She says Lori is slowly regaining some functions.
A Legacy of Resilience and the Story the Family Is Still Writing
Even as they confront the possibility of losing Lori, the Cobles have been intentional about documenting their journey, both to thank supporters and to frame their story in their own words. On Lori’s account, one post from Nov notes, This is the 4th, and second to last, post in The Coble Family story series, explaining that the entire family is deeply grateful and that they want people to understand not only the tragedies they have endured but also the love and community that have surrounded them, a reflection captured in the message that describes how This is the 4th, and second to last, post in The Coble Family story series. Another widely shared summary of their experience describes a heartbreaking tragedy turned into a testament to the enduring power of love, noting how the image of the Coble family has touched people around the world and how their response to loss has become a symbol of resilience, as reflected in accounts that revisit how a heartbreaking tragedy turned into a story of enduring love.
At the same time, Lori’s current fight has drawn renewed attention to the broader challenges of brain cancer and the gaps in support for families facing long term, intensive care. One social media update from Nov about Lori’s condition underscores how friends and neighbors in OrangeCounty have organized meal trains, fundraisers and prayer circles, while another post about a California Mom, Who Lost 3 Children In Car Crash Then Had Triplets Via IVF, Diagnosed With Stage 4 Brain Cancer Lori Co, highlights how her case has resonated far beyond her hometown, prompting strangers to donate, share her story and advocate for more research into glioblastoma, as seen in the description of a California Mom, Who Lost 3 Children In Car Crash Then Had Triplets Via IVF, Diagnosed With Stage 4 Brain Cancer Lori Co. For those who have followed the Cobles since 2007, Lori’s diagnosis is a painful new chapter in a story they hoped had already seen its share of sorrow, yet the family’s decision to keep sharing updates, to seek out clinical trials and to invite the community into both their grief and their gratitude suggests that, for now, they are still writing this story together, one difficult day at a time.
More from Decluttering Mom:

