Sara Bennett with her sons Lincoln and William.
Credit: The Ananda Pivot/Instagram
At a Glance
- Influencer Sara Bennett died at 39 after a three-year battle with ALS
- She scheduled a final Instagram post to announce her death on January 13
- A November post revealed a 100-page scrapbook of advice for her sons
- Why it matters: Her pre-planned messages offer a raw look at love, loss, and parenting under a terminal diagnosis
Sara Bennett, the content creator behind @TheAnandaPivot, revealed her own death to more than 100,000 followers through a pre-written Instagram message shared January 13. The 39-year-old mother had lived with ALS since March 2023 and spent her final months crafting a 100-page scrapbook for her two young sons.
Final Gift to Her Boys
On November 5, Bennett uploaded a carousel showing the handmade book titled Advice and Love Letters to you both from your mom. The post featured photos of her with Lincoln, 9, and William, 7, as well as her husband Rusty, whom she married more than 11 years ago.
> “Every time I say goodbye I feel so parental-like, ‘Bye! Go do big things, have fun and be good!'” she wrote.
>
> “But really… in all seriousness, I hope you keep having big moments of joy, and be really loud about it.”
She told followers the scrapbook took 100 hours to assemble and edit, yet admitted, “I will never feel like it’s enough.” The letters inside remain private. “Those are just for us,” she said.
Words of Wisdom
Bennett used the November post to share select guidance:
- On bullying: “People are insecure and will say mean things to make themselves feel better… It will be hard to remember that it’s a reflection of them, not you.”
- On kindness: “You’re both so sweet, that makes you better than most men! Don’t let anyone take that away from you!”
- On self-worth: She urged the boys to keep being kind to themselves.
She called the scrapbook “the most important work I’ve ever done (other than being your momma).” Bennett encouraged her sons to treat the book as a lifelong guide: “I think the best way to honor/love me is to use the scrapbook as a guide.”
Online Journey
Bennett began posting in 2020 to promote her professional-organizing business, the Ananda Edit. After her ALS diagnosis she rebranded the account to @TheAnandaPivot, opening conversations around life, death and parenthood while advocating for others with the neurodegenerative disease.
Community Support
On January 14, one day after the death announcement, loved ones returned to her page with details on supporting Lincoln and William’s college savings funds, per Bennett’s wishes.
Key Takeaways
- Sara Bennett turned a terminal diagnosis into a platform for candid discussion about mortality and motherhood
- Her 100-page scrapbook represents both a practical tool and emotional anchor for her children
- Pre-scheduling her final post allowed her to control the narrative of her death and leave a lasting message of resilience
