Within a year, Lane Kiffin lost two pillars of his support system. Last year, Monte Kiffin’s demise sent a jolt; the family hadn’t recovered from the shock of his demise when ‘Ma Kiffin’ passed away eleven months later in June 2025. A teary-eyed Lane Kiffin, grieving, said, “Say hi to Pops. I’m glad your broken heart can now be healed with him again; Bet you two are having a huge Pops hug. Love you guys.”

Losing someone you love leaves a void in you that no playbook can ever fill. The cherished memories are the treasures that we hoard within ourselves, afraid of losing them, frightened of them slipping out of our minds, the way the golden sand slips past our fingers. “Mimi,” as she was dearly called, was the glue to the family. She would make sure that Monte and Lane, with their busy coaching schedules, would be able to spend time with their loved ones. And so was born the Thanksgiving tradition.

“So to keep people at dinner, I (Robin) had them write down their three wishes on scraps of paper, and we put them in a hat. Then we went around the table and had to guess who said what.” That’s how she was, feeding the football madness with love and care for decades. Although beloved Robin is no more, her Thanksgiving tradition will be cherished—a warm reminder of the love and togetherness she brought to every gathering.

Cherishing her mother-in-law, Lane Kiffin’s wife, Layla Kiffin, shared a heartfelt note. “Thinking of you, Mimi. Surrounded by pink,” accompanied by a snap of the Don CeSar hotel, popularly known as the ‘Pink Palace.’ Yesterday, Kiffin’s sister-in-law Angela also shared a wholesome tribute to Robin: “Sad day saying goodbye to one-of-a-kind mother-in-law today. Look at these beautiful grandkids who loved her so much!! Doesn’t seem real. We love you, Mimi.”

Monte and Robin Kiffin are survived by their three children—Lane, Chris, and Heidi—and eight grandchildren. Landry, Preslry, Knox, Grace, Taylor, Christian, Bella, and Preston Guillot. Robin loved each of them dearly. Lane Kiffin shared a beautiful memory of Robin and the kids spending time with each other, going through old photo albums. Amid all the precious memories, Ma Kiffin left a precious furry gift for her family.

Kiffin family welcomes new member

Amid the heartbreak the Kiffin family is going through, one furry companion brings profound joy to the family. That member is none other than Robin Kiffin’s beloved dog, Lucky. “Yesterday was a big day! We inherited Mimi’s dog, Lucky. Angela shared a warm message, “Thank You, Mimi, for blessing us with your precious fur baby… We will think of you often.” She also shared beautiful photos of Lucky cuddling and cozying up with the children. Kiffin himself has a yellow Labrador Retriever, Juice Kiffin, who is also the official mascot of the Rebels. Kiffin’s daughter, Landry, also has two other furry companions, Willie and Bubba.

Losing both parents in such a short span of time takes an emotional toll. It’s difficult to heal, and it’s a very challenging time for the family. “Losing both parents in the last year has been very challenging. Thinking on the way over here about my mother and how grateful I am to her. Coach’s wives are the glue that holds everything together. Really grateful to my parents,” Lane Kiffin looked back over the years.

He reminisced about the time when, during the seasons, Monte Kiffin would be so busy that the only time his children got to see him was on TV. Ma Kiffin understood Monte Kiffin’s demanding job. So, the children were allowed to stay up late, just to watch Monday Night Football and see their dad on the sidelines. Amid the loss and grief, Lane Kiffin continues to lead the Rebels, with the Ole Miss community hanging closer than ever.