HGTV star Erin Napier is mourning the death of her aunt Marilyn, known to family and friends as Mae Mae, announcing the loss in an emotional Instagram post on Wednesday.
"My Aunt Mae Mae passed away today," Napier wrote in the post, according to Parade. Her aunt worked as a greeter at the Napiers' Laurel Mercantile Co. store in their hometown of Laurel, Mississippi, and Napier said anyone who met her there would not forget her.
Napier named her younger daughter, Mae, 5, after her aunt. She shared some of her happiest memories with her aunt in the tribute, TV Insider reported.
The loss comes as Erin and Ben Napier continue filming season 11 of HGTV's "Home Town" in Laurel, less than a week after the couple won a 2026 Daytime Emmy for Outstanding Instructional/How-To Program for season 3 of "Home Town Takeover."
