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Nichole and Jim Schmidt were deeply involved in the search for their daughter, Gabrielle “Gabby” Venora Petito, who went missing during a cross-country road trip with her fiancé, Brian Christopher Laundrie, in late August 2021. After her family lost contact with her for several days, they filed a missing persons report. Tragically, her remains were found near a Wyoming campground on September 19, 2021.
The case is explored in American Murder: Gabby Petito, a Netflix documentary that incorporates her vlog footage and interviews with loved ones. In response to the tragedy, Nichole and Jim Schmidt, alongside Gabby’s father, Joe Petito, and stepmother, Tara Petito, established the Gabby Petito Foundation to support domestic violence victims.
Nichole and Jim Schmidt, currently residing in Tampa, Florida, continue advocating for victims while raising their children. They attend awareness events such as CrimeCon and the Parents of Murdered Children Conference, ensuring Gabby’s legacy leads to meaningful change, as per The Cinemaholic report from February 17, 2025.
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Nichole and Jim Schmidt have reconciled with Joe and Tara Petito, uniting after Gabby’s death
Nichole and Jim Schmidt have reconnected with Joe and Tara Petito, finding common ground in their shared grief and commitment to honoring Gabby Petito’s legacy. Despite their separate family lives before Gabby’s tragic death, they have united in a way that reflects what she always wanted.
“She always had this desire to have us all together,” Nichole stated. “I think her spirit shines down now and is so happy that we're working together and we're together all the time because that's what she wanted” (People.com, June 5, 2024).
Gabby’s disappearance in late August 2021, while on a cross-country trip with her fiancé, Brian Laundrie, sparked a nationwide search after her family lost contact with her.
On September 19, 2021, her remains were found in Wyoming, with the cause of death determined to be strangulation, according to The Cinemaholic. Laundrie, who later died by suicide, left behind a notebook in which he claimed responsibility for her death, as reported by People.com.
In the days following Gabby’s murder, Nichole and Jim Schmidt, along with Joe and Tara Petito, chose to transform their grief into action. They established the Gabby Petito Foundation to raise awareness about domestic violence, improve law enforcement responses to intimate partner violence, and support missing persons cases.
“It keeps us strong. Gabby works through us. We can't not do it. We have to move forward and change the world together,” Nichole stated (People.com).
In 2022, the foundation donated $100,000 to the National Domestic Violence Hotline to expand support for survivors, as reported by The Cinemaholic on February 17, 2025.
Nichole and Jim Schmidt have taken on significant roles within the foundation. Nichole serves as its president, applying her background as a former EMT and teaching assistant to full-time advocacy work.
Meanwhile, Jim, who has over two decades of experience in emergency services, works as a firefighter and a domestic violence awareness trainer for first responders. The couple actively participates in events such as CrimeCon and the Parents of Murdered Children Conference, using their platform to educate and support victims’ families.
At CrimeCon 2024 in Nashville, Nichole reflected on how Gabby’s story has impacted survivors:
“We get emails all the time from people saying, ‘Gabby saved my life. She gave me the power to get out of my abusive relationship,’” Nichole Schmidt said as per The Cinemaholic.
Beyond their advocacy, Nichole and Jim Schmidt are dedicated parents to their four children, including Maddy and TJ Schmidt. They live in Tampa, Florida, and enjoy spending time with their family, which includes their two dogs, Koda and Piper.
They consistently prioritize each other, celebrating holidays and traveling while managing their foundation work. Through their shared mission, Nichole and Jim Schmidt have not only deepened their own connection but also strengthened their relationship with Joe and Tara Petito.
“We lean on each other one day at a time,” Joe Petito said. “The more we help, the more it makes us feel better” (People.com, June 5, 2024).
American Murder: Gabby Petito is available to stream on Netflix.
