Reality TV star Joanna Gaines shares a heartfelt Instagram post as she bids farewell to her eldest son, Drake, who is heading back to college for his second year.
Joanna Gaines, the beloved star of HGTV's "Fixer Upper," has opened up about the bittersweet emotions of sending her oldest son, Drake, back to college for his second year. Taking to Instagram, Gaines shared a tender photo of herself embracing her 19-year-old son, expressing her struggle with saying goodbye.
"Second year in college... saying goodbye doesn't get easier," she wrote in the caption, adding, "Lots of love to all the parents sending their kids off to school this season."
Joanna Gaines' Emotional Goodbye to Son Off to College: "Saying Goodbye Doesn't Get Easier
Gaining's post resonated deeply with her followers, who flooded the comments section with their own experiences and words of support. Many could relate to the pang of sadness and longing that accompanies the departure of a child for college.
"So many emotions. I cried all the way home when all five of our children went off to college. Letting go is so hard," one fan wrote. Another added, "Did that MANY years ago. Still choke up thinking about it. Hardest part in being a parent…letting them fly."
Joanna Gaines' Emotional Goodbye to Son Off to College: "Saying Goodbye Doesn't Get Easier
Prior to her emotional farewell, Gaines had shared glimpses of her son's college move-in process on Instagram Stories, offering her followers a tour of his new home away from home. Amidst the excitement, Gaines accidentally revealed a drinking game in Drake's dorm room, adding to the mixed emotions of the occasion.
In addition to Drake, Joanna shares four other children with her husband, Chip Gaines: Ella, 17; Duke, 16; Emmie, 14; and Crew, 6. The couple previously discussed their feelings about Drake leaving for college with People magazine in November 2023.
Joanna Gaines' Emotional Goodbye to Son Off to College: "Saying Goodbye Doesn't Get Easier
"Something about Drakey going off to college really does make you shift your attention to Crew, who's on the tail end of all this," Chip said, referring to their youngest son. "You're kind of living very intentionally because you know that — which is so hard to believe when you're holding a 1-year-old — 'Oh, this time's going to go by quickly.’"
Chip continued, "Because it seems like time was standing still, at the time, but then when you see your boy go off to college for real — well, then, you certainly shift your attention to little Crew, and want to really practically live as if he were going to go off to college tomorrow, so we can enjoy and appreciate every moment."
Joanna Gaines' heartwarming gesture of sharing her farewell moment with her followers serves as a poignant reminder of the bittersweet transition parents and children alike experience when a loved one heads off to higher education.
