This year’s Election Day carries a profound weight for Kat Timpf, as it marks the 10th anniversary of her mother’s death. At the same time, she finds herself six months pregnant with her first child, navigating a whirlwind of emotions as she prepares to become a mother herself.
The day also brings to mind the intense political climate, where partisan discourse often overshadows life’s more personal milestones—like the birth of a child or the death of a loved one.
Kat Timpf with her mother Anne Marie Ochab Timpf. (Family photo)
In a candid reflection for Fox News, Timpf shares how the monumental events of the past decade have shaped her journey. She was pregnant on the same day that former President Donald Trump was convicted on felony counts, heard her baby’s heartbeat on the day of President Biden’s infamous debate performance, and began writing this very piece on the same day as Trump’s assassination attempt. These events serve as stark reminders of the strange and tumultuous world she is bringing her child into.
Timpf also reflects on her experience of pregnancy, which has been anything but conventional. As a 35-year-old woman, Timpf was initially uncertain about her ability to conceive naturally and had prepared herself for the possibility of a miscarriage. Yet, the moment she discovered she was pregnant, reality didn’t align with the picture-perfect moment she had imagined. Instead of an emotional outburst of joy, her husband, Cam Friscia, initially dismissed the pregnancy test results, saying he couldn’t see the line before rolling back over to sleep. For Timpf, the discovery was not a dramatic revelation but rather a slow realization as the pregnancy test line darkened, followed by confirmation from a blood test.
In her usual witty style, Timpf discusses the stark contrast between her imagined version of pregnancy and the reality she’s living. As a woman who had always prided herself on being hardworking and spontaneous, she found herself grappling with overwhelming exhaustion—something she had never experienced before, even after countless sleepless nights and grueling work schedules.
While she had always embraced the identity of “The Hardest Working Woman” or “The Most Fun Girl at the Party,” pregnancy exhaustion made her question her sense of self, leaving her feeling tired, vulnerable, and disconnected from her previous identity.
Despite the fatigue, Timpf finds herself deeply reflecting on her mother’s absence in her life. While she’s excited to embark on motherhood, there’s an undeniable sadness that she won’t be able to share this experience with her mom, Anne Marie Ochab Timpf, who passed away on November 5, 2014.
Kat’s life has unfolded without her mother’s presence—she got her job at Fox News, survived an abusive relationship, wrote a bestselling book, got married, and now, as a mother-to-be, faces the daunting task of figuring out how to raise a child without the guidance of her own mother.
As the 10th anniversary of her mother’s death approaches, Timpf acknowledges the passing of time and the personal transformations she has undergone. She notes that while the rest of the world may be preoccupied with politics on Election Day, for her, the day holds much more significance. The emotions tied to motherhood, grief, and the changes she’s experienced as a person far outweigh the distractions of political discourse.
Timpf also sheds light on the broader theme of politics and division in her latest book, I Used to Like You Until…, which tackles the binary thinking that has polarized relationships and divided people across the political spectrum. She emphasizes how politics often creates unnecessary rifts between individuals who otherwise share common ground, encouraging people to transcend politics and focus on shared humanity.
With humor and vulnerability, Timpf speaks candidly about her pregnancy, her mother’s death, and her efforts to navigate life’s challenges. Through it all, she hopes to pass on the lessons her mother taught her—embracing the complexities of life and never reducing others to simplistic categories. And as she prepares to become a mother, Timpf is determined to share those lessons with her child, one of which is that a person can be both spiritual and irreverent, much like her mother, who was known for having both pictures of the pope and a collection of raunchy jokes.
In the end, Timpf’s reflection is a poignant reminder of the intersection of life’s milestones—grief, joy, exhaustion, and growth—set against the backdrop of a world that often prioritizes fleeting political battles over the more meaningful experiences that shape us as individuals.