What a beautiful day to be alive: Love is Blind stars Tyler Francis and Ashley Adionser finally broke up. I’m so relieved for her, I could cry. Their marriage lasted a whole year, despite a major controversy and literally everyone’s disapproval. If you put yourself through season 7 of the dating show, you know that Tyler fathered three children and withheld that little fact from Ashley until after the engagement, apparently because he didn’t want to discuss it on camera. He and Ashley did get past it and exchange vows obviously, but more info then came out on social media — people in Tyler’s life made accusations that he abandoned his children to go on LIB, and there were reports that he was involved in a custody case.

So, why did Tyler Francis and Ashley Adionser ultimately break up? Here’s what we know.

Why Did Love Is Blind‘s Ashley And Tyler Break Up? Ashley’s Statement

Why Love Is Blind‘s Tyler And Ashley Are Ending Their Marriage After One Year

On January 21, Ashley stared a statement with People, and it sounds like she was the one who ended it. “After much reflection, I want to share that Tyler and I have been separated for several weeks and have now made the difficult decision to end our marriage,” she told the magazine. “While I had hoped for mutual understanding and transparency in our relationship, it has become clear that our paths are no longer aligned, making it impossible for me to continue in this marriage.” Thank heavens.

She noted that the split is “necessary for my own growth and peace.” Love that for her. “While this chapter is ending, I will always hold respect for the time and love we shared,” the Love is Blind star added. “I kindly ask for privacy during this deeply personal time as I focus on healing and building a new future. Thank you for your understanding and support.”

A few days later, Tyler shared his own statement about the (unsurprising) split. “As many of you may have seen, Ashley has shared the news of our decision to end our marriage,” he wrote in an IG Story. “This has been an incredibly difficult and emotional process for both of us, and it is one we have approached with great care and respect for one another.” He added that their marriage started with “hope and love” but there were ultimately “challenges we could not overcome.”

Tyler continued, “I take full accountability for my role in the difficulties we faced and I respect Ashley’s decision to move forward in a way that prioritizes her peace and happiness.” He called Ashley “an incredible woman.”

Ashley Defended Tyler Amid The “Sperm Babies” Scandal

You gotta admire how hard Ashley fought to make this work, even with all the glaring red flags. She and her now-ex addressed the whole sperm babies scandal during the reunion special.

“I did help a friend and her wife start a family, but her wife ended up leaving her and left her high and dry,” Tyler explained. “This was my very close friend, so I stepped in voluntarily and helped. So, there’s pictures of me around… I’ve spent holidays with all my friends.” According to Tyler, his role in his biological kids’ lives became “shaky” when he was just trying to be there for a friend. Hmmm.

Ashley chimed in, “I just know that he is a good person who went in a little too deep and didn’t know what to do next.” (I personally still had questions about the reported custody case and how you could get engaged to someone without relaying this info…)

She was pissed off when Tyler told her about the kids just weeks before their wedding. “We had such great communication, and I don’t understand how two weeks before our wedding, you drop this kind of bomb,” she said earlier in the season. “I’m replaying and thinking of every conversation we’ve had where this could have been brought up, and I’m thinking, ‘Why?’” But alas, she got over it fairly quickly and obviously said “I do” to Tyler.

When someone called Tyler “FOUL” in an Instagram comment, Ashley came to his defense. “Do you know him personally to spread such slander about my cast mate?” she replied. “Regardless of the choice I make. I’ll do what’s best for me, the same way I’m sure you live your life.” She warned the commenter to “beware of social media and the alleged unauthenticated ‘proof’” and asked them to be more kind in the future.