Tineke “Tini” Younger wants fans to know that she’s “more than just grief” after the unexpected loss of one of her twin daughters last year.
The popular TikTok chef, 24, appeared on a recent episode of The Tamron Hall Show where she discussed the passing of her daughter, Arya, who did not survive to full term. Younger did deliver her late daughter’s twin sister, whom she publicly refers to as “Baby L.”
Without the presence of a studio audience, Younger spoke to Hall about losing Arya, and revealed that she got a tattoo commemorating 9:44 a.m. as the time of her birth. The content creator also got tattoos of lions, a purple butterfly and Arya’s footprint tattooed.
Along with revealing that baking, mostly off camera, carried her through a period of grief, Younger explained what kept her motivated after the death of her daughter.
“I have to get up every day for my daughter, for L,” Younger continued. “I wish I could just sit in bed and do nothing all day. But to take care of my
daughter L… I need to get up every day, get ready– even if I don't put on makeup–just wash my face, brush my teeth, eat food. Like I say, eat good, feel good. So, it's just I want to be there for L.”
Younger added that it was “refreshing” to bake for herself instead of in front of her 12.5 million TikTok followers, although she misses “teaching people.” Elsewhere, the influencer detailed that she has an “Arya’s Corner” in her home, where her family keeps a weekly rotation of flowers along with her daughter’s picture and urn.
“It's just going to get bigger. Every trip we go on, we're going to get
her something,” Younger continued. “And baby L loves looking in the corner. She's always smiling. So, I think she feels her sister's energy. Like, there's no way she doesn't.”
In February, Younger revealed in a social media post that she had experienced postpartum preeclampsia and couldn’t sleep for four consecutive days after giving birth. The TikToker also promised a return to cooking videos.