MAYCI Neeley is a household name since appearing on the hit reality TV show The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives, but now, she has revealed the heartbreaking story of her first love.
While her life may seem picture perfect with a doting husband, two kids, and another on the way, she has now shared her tragic past.
The reality TV star, Mayci Neeley, shared her tragic story[/caption]
Her eldest child, Hudson never got to meet his biological dad[/caption]
She was 14 weeks pregnant when Arik passed away[/caption]
Mayci, pictured with her boyfriend, found out through social media[/caption]
She’s often seen on Instagram posing with her husband, Jacob Neeley, but he isn’t the biological father of the nine-year-old son, though.
Before her marriage, Mayci was in a relationship with Arik Mack. Then her life changed forever.
In 2015, Mayci, who was just 19, was at university on a tennis scholarship when she found out she was pregnant.
Mayci described Arik as a bit of a wild guy” who was “so full of life.”
So she had concerns about him settling down with the arrival of their baby.
But he assured Mayci he was ready to be a dad and marry her.
While Mayci says she didn’t want to give up her tennis career, she decided to leave university and move back to her families home for support.
Arik decided to stay at the university, which was in a different city in Utah.
“Being away from Arik was harder than I thought. My hormones were all over the place,” she told The Mirror.
“On 24 March 2015, Arik and I had a fight. The pressure on us had become too much and we started to argue over text.”
“Little did I know that Arik was driving while texting me. Frustrated, I stopped replying to his messages.”
Mayci didn’t think much of it when he stopped replying, that was until she checked social media later that day.
Tragic Realisation
While scrolling through Instagram, she noticed a series of tribute posts to her boyfriend.
She saw a post that read: “I’ll miss you, Arik”, which had a photo of him.
The next post said, “RIP.”
Shocked by what she was seeing, she called his father, who confirmed Arik had tragically passed away due to texting and driving and had been killed on impact.
He was killed in a car crash when she was 14 weeks pregnant[/caption]
Reflecting on that time of heartbreak, the reality TV star said: “I was 13 weeks and 5 days pregnant. Me and him got into a disagreement.
I remember calling him and hoping he would answer.
Mayci Neeley
“Mainly me, I was upset with him, and we were sending texts back and forth and one of his texts was unfinished at the end of it.
“I remember calling him and hoping he would answer. And the worst part of it was just hearing the dial tone and being like, ‘Please God, answer the phone.’ And I called his dad and his dad told me that he passed away in a car accident… It was the most traumatic time of my life.”
“I was utterly destroyed. I had no idea that he was driving – I never would have replied to him if I knew,” she continued.
“Arik was my best friend and suddenly, he was gone.”
“My baby would never be held by their father. It was too much to bear.”
Tragically, Mayci found out the day after he boyfriend died that she was having a baby boy.
The pregnant teen sank into a deep depression as she tried to cope with the grief while carrying their only child, Hudson.
The loss of the life she had imagined with Arik was too much for Mayci, who also revealed she received negative comments from those around her.
I didn’t want to live, to be honest.
Mayci Neeley
“You’re young, you have plenty of time to find a father for your son,” said one, while another quipped: “At least you’ll never have to co-parent.”
In September 20115, Mayci gave birth to their son and says he saved her life.
Speaking on the show, Mayci said: “I truly feel like he was my first love, and it just destroyed me.
“I didn’t want to live, to be honest, and if it wasn’t for my son, I don’t even know if I’d be here today.”
Mayci and Jcob are now expecting their third child[/caption]
Finding Love Again
Mayci decided to make the brave decision to go back to university while navigating being a single mum.
When Hudson was seven months old, Jacob Neeley came into her life after meeting through mutual friends.
“I was terrified of getting hurt again but after four months, I couldn’t deny my feelings any longer. He was kind and funny and made me feel safe,” she wrote for The Mirror.
The pair began dating and were engaged in November 2017 before getting married in 2018.
Jacob has since gone on to adopt Hudson, and he and Mayci had a daughter through IVF called Harlow.
Now Mayci is pregnant again and announced the news on social media.
“Baby #3 is on the way and we couldn’t be happier!” she wrote in an Instagram post.
Where to seek grief support
Need professional help with grief?
- Child Bereavement UK Childbereavementuk.org
- Cruse Bereavement Cruse.org.uk
- Relate Relate.org.uk
- The Good Grief Trust Thegoodgrieftrust.org
- You can also always speak to your GP if you’re struggling.
You’re Not Alone
Check out these books, podcasts and apps that all expertly navigate grief…
- Griefcast: Cariad Lloyd interviews comedians on this award-winning podcast.
- The Madness Of Grief by Rev Richard Coles (£9.99, W&N): The Strictly fave writes movingly on losing his husband David to alcoholism.
- Terrible, Thanks For Asking: Podcast host Nora McInerny encourages non-celebs to share how they’re really feeling.
- Good Mourning by Sally Douglas and Imogen Carn (£14.99, Murdoch Books): A guide for people who’ve suffered sudden loss, like the authors who both lost their mums.
- Grief Works: Download this for daily meditations and expert tips.
- How To Grieve Like A Champ by Lianna Champ (£3.99, Red Door Press): A book for improving your relationship with death.
