Joanna Gaines Opens Up on Ella’s Emotional College Send-Off
Let’s dive straight in: Joanna Gaines is bracing for a tidal wave of feelings as she prepares to send her daughter Ella off to college this fall. In a candid conversation with People published July 8, the 47-year-old Magnolia Table author admitted that bidding farewell to her second child feels even tougher than when she watched her eldest, Drake, head to campus two years ago. “With Ella, we love to go to antiques shops, plant shops and go get coffee—that’s our rhythm. I kind of feel like I’m losing a friend in my everyday life,” she told her husband, Chip Gaines, 50, in the joint interview.
Joanna confessed that the familiar routine she shared with Ella, 18, has made this milestone both precious and bittersweet. Despite anticipating an emotional roller coaster, she insists she’ll meet it head-on: “It feels like what’s coming this summer will be a tidal wave of emotions, and I am not going to brace; I’m going to stand there and take it with him.” The couple shares five children—Drake, 20; Ella; Duke, 17; Emmie, 15; and Crew, 7—and they’ve already navigated one empty-nest moment when Drake left for college. Still, this time, Joanna believes the mother-daughter bond will shift in ways she can’t ignore.
At the same time, Joanna’s excitement for Ella’s independence is palpable. “She’s excited about going somewhere and just being known for her,” Joanna explained, recalling her daughter’s desire to carve out her own identity away from the Gaines spotlight. Ella’s quest for self-discovery is something Joanna looks forward to witnessing—and learning from. Chip chimed in with trademark humor, quipping, “I feel like a grandpa learning. I don’t feel perfectly equipped to manage some of these very interesting modern-day things that some of these kids are going through.”
As the Gaines parents count down the days, Chip mused about life after college graduations: “And in four years, the youngest of our original four will have graduated. What are we going to do with this chaotic, crazy life that we’ve built for ourselves?” Their reflections echo a broader trend among celeb families this season. Julie Bowen celebrated her eldest son’s high-school graduation on June 11 via Instagram, Christina Haack and Tarek El Moussa hosted a middle-school graduation party for their daughter in June, and Dwyane Wade cheered on daughter Zaya’s high-school diploma ceremony on June 14. Brandi Glanville reunited with Eddie Cibrian for their son’s graduation, Heidi Klum marked her son’s achievement at Campbell Hall on June 11, and “Weird Al” Yankovic shared his pride as his daughter completed college on June 8.
Through these high-profile milestones, one thing is clear: the Gaines family’s next chapter is on the horizon, and Joanna’s emotional journey is a reminder of how change can sting and inspire in equal measure. There you have it—soak it in and stay tuned for more insights into how your favorite stars handle life’s major transitions.
Sources: Celebrity Storm and People Magazine, Joanna and Chip Gaines joint interview in People (July 8), Julie Bowen Instagram, Christina Haack and Tarek El Moussa coverage, Dwyane Wade and Gabrielle Union Instagram posts, Brandi Glanville and Eddie Cibrian reports, Heidi Klum Instagram, “Weird Al” Yankovic graduation announcement
Attribution: Creative Commons Licensed
