She'd been raising her 8-year-old sister alone since their mom died. Then she found a voice note she'd never heard before

Losing a loved one is hard, and grieving the loss is harder. What’s even tougher is listening to their voice, which often reminds us of their absence. In an Instagram post from April 16, 2026, a Memphis baker, Chloe Joy Sexton (@chloejoysexton), shared a tear-jerking clip, documenting a voicemail that her mother, Jenny Wren, left for her when she was dying of brain cancer in 2022. In the mail, Wren apologized to her for burdening her with her baby sister, who's 20 years younger than Sexton. The heartfelt message has received 803,000 views on Sexton's Instagram page.

Heartfelt apology

In 2022, her sister, Charlotte, was just eight years old when they lost their mom. And since then, Sexton has been raising her all alone. Amidst living her own life while juggling the responsibility of her little sister, she found an emotional voicemail Wren had left for her. “I am sorry to leave you with all this on your hands, my baby. Never meant to,” her mother confessed. In fact, Wren also admitted to having damaged her body while trying to have another baby after Sexton. Moreover, she wished the best for her elder daughter and said, "I want you to be happy. I want you to travel...and see beautiful new things." Wren also asked Sexton to take good care of her sister and kids and take her to visit her parents. "I love you, my girl," she added. Sexton confessed that on hard days, she listens to her mom's voice message to feel better. "My mother was an artist, a poet, a creative, incredible activist. I wish there was a way to display her personality in an exhibit because what an exhibit it would make," she confessed. 

Emotional relics

In a study published in Mobile Media & Communication, researchers found that emotional sentiment is a significant reason behind people saving their loved ones’ voicemails. In fact, a YouGov survey of 6,090 Americans found that one in three, that is 33% of respondents, have saved a conversation they’ve had with their loved ones to preserve memories of them. The survey also revealed that nearly half (47%) regretted not having a heartfelt conversation with a deceased person. Younger adults (under the age of 45) were found to be twice as likely to save conversations as the older generation. Similarly, men were also found more likely than women to report preserving conversations with loved ones (37% vs. 30%).

Netizens turn emotional

Meanwhile, thousands of viewers responded to Sexton’s video, writing consoling and comforting messages. @cheybluegirl said, "Your mom sounds like an absolutely wonderful woman and mother." Similarly, @stickaforkinme said, “The way my heart just dropped when I remembered I have voicemails. I am not ready to listen to them.” @judicial.wu shared, "I love this. I have dealt with grief so early on in life, so I get what you mean. I have always put my hard days behind me, but yesterday was hard. Let’s keep on going for those we love."

You can follow Chloe Joy Sexton (@chloejoysexton) on Instagram for more videos from her bakery and family life.

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