Mom films her son playing with his little brothers not knowing it would be their last memory together
Trigger warning: This article contains themes of mental health issues that some readers may find distressing.
What began as a joyful holiday moment is now a bittersweet memory for one Arizona mom, capturing laughter, unaware it would be one of the last. Last Christmas, Alli Skrbek (@alli_mom), a mother of four from Prescott Valley, recorded her eldest son, Alex Fornerod, playfully roughhousing with his younger brothers, 13-year-old Grant, 8-year-old Jack, and toddler Barrett, just 21 months old. The video showed laughter and closeness. But months later, that seemingly ordinary clip took on a haunting weight.
It wasn’t until June, over two months after Alex’s death, that Skrbek decided to share the video publicly on TikTok. Her 22-year-old son had died by suicide on the night of March 30. (His official date of death, as listed in his obituary, is April 1.) Overlaying the now-viral clip, Skrbek wrote: “This is 4 months before my son took his life. This was him in active depression. I didn’t see it.” The video, posted on TikTok, has been viewed more than 12 million times.
In an interview with Newsweek, Skrbek opened up about Alex’s battle with depression, one that was largely hidden behind anger, alcohol, and, sometimes, smiles. Four years ago, Alex moved in with his grandparents after some trouble but soon returned home. When he did, his mom noticed a stark change. “Something in him shifted,” she recalled. “He was constantly angry, on edge, or drinking. We blamed the alcohol, not realizing depression was behind it.” After eventually moving out again and starting a new job, Alex seemed to be turning a corner. He later moved in with his aunt and cousins in November 2024. Then, at Christmas, he came home. And for a while, he seemed happy.
“During that visit, he barely drank. We laughed like we used to. He was so warm, so present. That was my son,” Skrbek said. “He loved deeply—his brothers, and his momma.” That Christmas would be one of the last times the family laughed together. On the night of March 30, Alex sent his mom a final message: “I’m so thankful I have you. I love you Mom.” By the next morning, Skrbek learned he had taken his own life. “If I had known that would be our last hug, if I had realized how much he was struggling, there are so many things I would have done differently,” she told Newsweek.
@alli_mom He left behind 3 little brothes that he koved with all his heart. #depressionanxiety #depression #suicideawareness #suicidepreventionawarenes #suicide #lossofachild #childloss ♬ Dancing in the Sky - Sam Barber
Since then, Skrbek has been using her TikTok account to share Alex’s story and her own grief journey to raise awareness around depression, suicide prevention, and the hidden signs many miss. The response has been overwhelming. Comments, messages of support, and even a song written in Alex’s honor have poured in. “I truly appreciate the support,” she told PEOPLE. “We desperately need more awareness and help breaking the stigma surrounding mental illness. And more support for parents grieving the loss.”
If you or someone you care about is facing mental health issues, emotional struggles, substance use concerns, or simply needs someone to talk to, help is available 24/7. Call or text 988, or chat online at 988lifeline.org.
To follow her journey, you can follow @alli_mom on TikTok.