The final hours of a year can feel strange even on a good run. But for Jenny Marrs, the closing morning of 2025 carried a different kind of weight, the kind you can’t neatly pack away just because the calendar flips. And yet, the HGTV star is stepping into 2026 with something she calls “defiant Hope,” a mindset shaped by grief, faith, and the kind of quiet courage fans rarely see behind the glossy before-and-after shots.
Here’s what happened, what she shared, and why her message is hitting people so hard.
A New Year’s Post That Didn’t Feel Like a Performance
On December 31, Jenny posted a peaceful video of the Italian countryside and paired it with a deeply personal caption. Instead of leaning into the usual New Year’s resolutions, she explained that she’s long preferred a different tradition: writing down specific prayers for the coming year.
Jenny said resolutions depend on her own willpower and grit, while written prayers give her something else to return to again and again. Over time, she’s found that revisiting those prayers throughout the year redirects her heart, attitude, and actions toward the One she believes authors her story. This year, she added, she’s looking at that tradition with “a slightly different view,” a small line that hinted something heavy sat underneath the beauty of the scenery.
Then she said it plainly: 2025 was a really, really hard year.
The Losses Jenny Marrs and Dave Marrs Faced in 2025
Jenny’s words weren’t vague sadness or general hardship. She specifically shared that she was ending the year feeling melancholy and heartbroken, stepping into a new one without four dearly loved people and their dog, Dolly.
Over the course of 2025, Jenny and Dave experienced several losses that piled on quickly. It began with the death of one of their farm animals. Later, they lost their family dog, Dolly, a pet fans had come to recognize as part of the Marrs family’s everyday life.
The grief deepened with the deaths of two family friends, Jill and Bob. Then came the loss of Dave’s mother, Donna. Jenny also mourned her grandmother. It’s the kind of year that doesn’t just “pass.” It leaves a mark, and you can hear that in how Jenny described walking into 2026 with sorrow still present.
Why Fans Are So Emotional About Jenny’s Message
The comments under Jenny’s post quickly filled with people thanking her, not just for sharing, but for sharing in a way that felt real. Some followers said her words offered hope. Others said the message helped lift their own heavy hearts on the first day of 2026. And plenty of fans admitted they related to her approach because they hate New Year’s resolutions and never keep them anyway.
That’s the quiet power of what Jenny wrote. It didn’t tell people to “be positive” or “move on.” It acknowledged what hurts and still left room for light. For many readers, that balance lands harder than a motivational quote ever could.
The One Verse Jenny Is Holding Onto in 2026
Jenny didn’t frame 2026 as a year without trouble. In fact, she said the opposite, that there will always be troubles. But she also shared the anchor she plans to hold tight: Psalm 27:13.
She described looking ahead with “defiant Hope,” choosing to remain confident that she will still see goodness in the land of the living. In other words, she’s not denying pain. She’s deciding it won’t get the final word.
To close her post, Jenny offered a blessing to followers that felt tender and specific, not generic. She wished them joy-filled moments, new adventures, peaceful days, and deep soul rest. It sounded like someone who has learned, the hard way, what actually matters.
What’s Happening With Fixer to Fabulous Right Now
Even in the middle of a difficult personal year, Jenny and Dave returned to HGTV with Season 7 of Fixer to Fabulous in early December. Fans who worry when a show hits later seasons also noticed another detail circulating recently: the Marrs have been candid that they don’t fully know what happens next.
In a recent interview, Jenny said they hope the series continues and that they want to keep doing it as long as they can. She emphasized the part of the job that still feels meaningful to them: helping make people’s homes beautiful and telling their stories.
Dave echoed that sentiment, pointing out that the future comes down to ratings, and he doesn’t want to take their longevity for granted. He said it’s an honor when families tell them the show is something multiple generations watch together, and as long as they can keep being relevant in people’s lives, they’ll keep going.
Why This Moment Feels Bigger Than a New Year Caption
Jenny Marrs didn’t post a glamorous highlight reel. She posted a quiet scene and told the truth: she’s entering 2026 sad, but grateful. The message wasn’t about pretending everything is fine. It was about choosing to keep walking forward even when loss is still close enough to feel.
That’s why it’s spreading. Because a lot of people aren’t looking for another “new year, new me” slogan. They’re looking for permission to be human, to grieve, to believe, and to hope anyway.
And Jenny’s message, wrapped in a blanket with a steaming mug in hand, gave them exactly that.
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