Kim Kardashian said her “lake life” vacation post had been scheduled before her family announced the death of her grandmother, Mary Jo “MJ” Shannon.
The Instagram carousel included bikini photos, tequila, motorcycles and pictures from a family getaway. Its timing drew questions because it appeared shortly after Kris Jenner shared that her mother had died at age 91.
Kardashian responded in the comments and said the post had been prepared several days earlier. “This post was scheduled a few days ago before we lost MJ, so its timing came right alongside her passing,” she wrote.
About an hour later, Kardashian published a separate tribute to MJ, calling her grandmother her best friend, gossip buddy and “forever twin.” She thanked MJ for teaching her about family, work and building a business.
Kim Kardashian Said the Vacation Post Was Scheduled
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Kardashian added the explanation after followers began questioning why vacation photos were appearing as her family mourned MJ. OK! Magazine reported that the comment appeared under the Instagram post shared Thursday, July 16.
She said she had been with Jenner and MJ during the previous week and told followers that her heart was with her family.
“We loved her deeply and will miss her always,” Kardashian wrote, adding that the family would spend the coming days celebrating MJ’s life.
Some Followers Questioned the Timing
The carousel showed Kardashian and relatives spending time at a lake. Along with family photos, it included swimwear shots and Kendall Jenner’s 818 Tequila.
HOLA! reported that some followers criticized the post because it appeared so close to the family’s announcement. Others treated it as an unfortunate scheduled-post mistake rather than a sign that Kardashian was ignoring the loss.
Kardashian did not delete the carousel. Instead, she left the post up and added the clarification directly beneath it.
Kim Kardashian Later Posted Her Own Tribute to MJ
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Kardashian followed the vacation carousel with a post dedicated to her grandmother. The tribute included family photos from different stages of their lives, including childhood pictures and more recent moments with MJ.
In the caption, Kardashian called MJ her best friend, her gossip buddy and her “forever twin.” She also credited her grandmother with helping shape her work ethic.
People reported that Kardashian remembered working at MJ’s San Diego children’s boutique, Shannon & Company, which she described as her first job.
Kris Jenner Announced Her Mother’s Death
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Jenner announced MJ’s death in a separate Instagram tribute on July 16. She called her mother “the heart of our family” and said her own heart was “broken into a million pieces.”
The family did not disclose a cause of death in its initial statements. Reuters reported that MJ was a cancer survivor and had appeared on Keeping Up with the Kardashians and Hulu’s The Kardashians.
MJ was known to viewers for her dry humor and close relationship with Jenner, Kardashian and the rest of the family. Kardashian ended her clarification by saying the family would now focus on celebrating MJ’s life.