Michelle Young has begun a new chapter of her life story.
Young, 29, recently went public with her extremely difficult decision to step down from her beloved profession of teaching. Unfortunately, Young’s professional life isn’t the only area of her life where she has had to endure life-altering changes in such a short period of time.
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Last night, Young and her fiancé Nayte Olukoya, whom she met and fell in love with during her season of “The Bachelorette,” both announced they had chosen to end their relationship.
The official announcement came shortly after Young had publicly addressed speculation about their relationship, and whether the pair were still en route for a trip down the aisle.
Young took to her Instagram stories last month to put an end to the myriad of break-up rumors.
“I typically don’t come on here and address these types of things,” she began in her Insta-story as per Life & Style, “To the person who is paying close enough attention to catch that moment, you also had to be paying close enough attention to see one of my friends briefly remove my engagement ring to try it on and then place it back on my finger,” she shared, referencing the so-called incident which had added fuel to the rumor mill.
The publication also reported the moment in question had occurred last month while Young had been publicly spotted sans engagement ring at a party.
Young also addressed the blink-and-you-would-miss it-moment had inspired “so many” concerned DMs about their relationship.
How Did Young Address Her Split?
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Sadly there would soon be a bit of truth to the speculation.
The pair had both penned notes for fans on social media, confirming they had ended their relationship.
Both Young and Olukoya treated their respective announcements with great care for one another.
Young’s announcement read, “To those who have supported Nayte and I, including Bachelor Nation, I know I speak for the both of us when saying having a relationship in the public eye has not been easy,” she began. “I’m struggling to say Nayte and I will be going out separate ways but I stand with him in knowing the heaviness that is present in both our hearts has been very real for us.” (via Us Weekly)
Young’s break-up announcement was not the first time she has had to recently remind fans of her and Olukoya’s humanness.
In her aforementioned Instagram story where she had addressed the speculation about their relationship, she had finished her story with a note.
“Just a friendly reminder that Nayte and I are human beings, not a zoo exhibit. Not to mention, videoing someone without knowing them is creepy.”
Young also illustrated how real her relationship with Olukoya had been in her break-up announcement by addressing her ex-fiancé directly.
“To you, Nayte, you quickly became my best friend and the love I have for you is incredibly strong. I will never stop wanting to see you succeed,” she wrote.
The former teacher acknowledged the beauty of her relationship with Olukoya as well.
“I will always acknowledge and appreciate the adventures, support and growth both Nate and this experience have brought me. At the same time,” she added, “I’m deeply hurting and will need time and space to work through this heartbreak,” Young concluded.
What Did Olukoya Say?
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Olukoya wasted no time in delivering the news in his own statement.
“Michelle and I are going to move forward separately. Hearts are heavy. Emotions are high and we are dealing with this the best way we can.”
He went on to acknowledge the importance of Bachelor Nation’s influence on their relationship, but he also included an acknowledgment of the reality that can happen once the cameras stop rolling.
“When we both started this journey, we were looking for our soulmates. Our forever. Our best friends. However, as we grow and learn, we also [realize] that sometimes somebody that you hold dear to your heart isn’t somebody you’re meant to spend the rest of your life with.”
The pair had gotten engaged at the tail-end of 2021. Bachelor Nation had given them the ultimate engagement gift: a $200K check to help the duo start their lives together. (via Fox Business)
