Nearly six years ago, former LPGA player Jane Park experienced one of the happiest moments of her life when she and her husband welcomed their daughter, Grace. But just 10 months later, Grace suffered brain damage after a series of seizures. Now 5 years old, she has refractory epilepsy and is non-verbal. Since then, Park has regularly shared updates on her daughter’s journey on Instagram. In her latest post, she opened up about her “thoughts that lived in my notes app.” 

“If I could go back in time to my 33-year-old self, here are a few things that I’d say,” she wrote while sharing images of Grace. “That little girl in front of you, with all the wires and tubes keeping her alive, will surprise you in ways that you won’t be able to explain. She’s living proof of what a community of people can cultivate with patience, resilience, and a little bit of hope.”

Park also opened up about the emotional toll of the experience, describing the grief and uncertainty that accompanied it. Recalling her daughter’s heartbreaking initial diagnosis, Jane Park revealed how long it took for her daughter to smile again. 

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“You’ll see her smile again 73 days after July 3, 2021, and the tears will just drop out of your eyes like there is nothing stopping them. But that’s okay. Some moments deserve all your tears.” 

Park’s daughter’s condition is a brain disorder where seizures do not stop, even after a person tries at least two proper anti-seizure medicines. And Epilepsy.com claims that it affects 1 in 4 children with epilepsy. This means Grace would need constant vigilance for seizures, a high level of hands-on care, and significant time, emotional, and logistical demands. 

So, Park thanked the readers, anonymous commenters, and fellow parents who supported her as she supported her daughter through the difficult journey. The 39-year-old concluded by reflecting on a piece of advice that she initially struggled to accept but now passes on to other parents facing similar diagnoses.

“There’s one bit of advice you’ll keep hearing early on that will make you very uneasy. ‘The doctors don’t know everything.’ It will anger you but also leave you wondering who the hell was going to lead us out of this maze?… Now, you say this very line to other newly diagnosed parents, because it’s so true.”

This comes after Jane Park feared the worst was set to happen earlier this year. 

Jane Park’s daughter was suffering from pneumonia

In January 2026, Park shared a heartbreaking update, revealing that Grace is battling pneumonia. The former LPGA golfer said Grace is receiving intensive hospital care, including breathing support with a BiPAP mask to help her lungs recover. 

“It’s used to help the patient breathe easily when their lungs are struggling,” she explained. 

Park revealed her daughter suffered a setback after vomiting while wearing the mask. 

“The chest X-ray showed more crap in her lungs than the last X-ray. She is also still spiking fevers,” she added.   

Since Grace wasn’t able to keep food down, doctors started IV fluids before deciding to insert a PICC line to provide nutrition, medications, and other treatments. She explained that the procedure will let “more calorie-dense nutrition get into her system while bypassing the stomach.” 

Although she praised the doctors for doing everything they can, she confessed, “The pneumonia itself isn’t moving quickly.” Eventually, however, the complication came under control. 

Jane Park had stepped away from the sport in 2020 for two years when her daughter was born. Although she returned in 2023, Park had to step away from the sport for good. Her husband, Pete Godfrey, caddies for Hye Jin Choi and spends a significant part of the year on the road. 

Obviously, things haven’t been easy for the former LPGA player. However, she has revealed that she finds peace in her art. She also uses this to spend plenty of time with her daughter.