Michelle Young and Nayte Olukoya have parted ways. Image Source: Today Show
Michelle Young and Nayte Olukoya have parted ways.
Michelle Young and Nayte Olukoya announced their breakup less than a year after getting engaged on The Bachelorette's season 18's finale episode.
Michelle Young took to her social media stories to share the news with the world and the fans who were rooting for them and wrote that to those who have supported Nayte and her, including Bachelor Nation, it has not been easy for both of them to stay in the public eye and with a heavy heart, she has to announce that they will be going separate ways but added that she stands with Nayte in knowing that the heaviness that is present in both of their hearts as the relationship was very much real for them.
Michelle Young added that Nayte Olukoya became her best friend and the love she has for him is incredibly strong and she will never stop wanting to see him succeed. She added that she will always acknowledge and appreciate the adventures, support, and growth the relationship had brought to her and concluded that she is deeply hurt by the situation at the moment and will need time and space to work through this heartache.
Michelle Young's breakup statement. Image Source: Page Six
Nayte Olukoya also shared a statement in which he wrote that when he and Michelle Young started their journey, they were looking for their soulmates, forever and best friends, and as they both grew and learned, they also realized that sometimes somebody that one holds dear to their heart is not always the one that they're meant to spend the rest of their life with. Nayte continued that Michelle and he are moving forward separately and added that their hearts are heavy, emotions are high, and they are dealing with the situation in the best way they can.
The reality star added that both Michelle and he were in love and became each other’s best friends, and they will always cheer each other on, but now it’s going to be from a distance. Nayte added that both of them are extremely private people, and when it comes to this breakup, they will continue to heal privately, but they want people to know that what they had was real. Nayte’s post continued for the people who supported them and cheered them on. He wanted them to know that they appreciate the love and support they got but added that the news is going to bring in a lot of mixed reactions but reminded everyone that the love was real, the emotions are real, the heartbreak is real, and the pain is real.
Nayte concluded that they are human beings who are going through a breakup or a tough time in their lives and urged people to let them have their privacy so that they can heal and mend their hearts in privacy. The news of their breakup comes weeks after Michelle Young clarified in May that they had not broken up and the video that went viral in which she was spotted without her engagement ring was not how it happened.
Michelle had stated that one of her friends briefly removed her Neil Lane engagement ring to try it on and then placed it back on her finger and she had the ring on when she shared the video. Michelle Young also reminded people that Nayte and she are not zoo exhibits but human being and recording her without her consent was not cool.
The former couple had previously shared that they were working towards moving in together in Michelle Young's native Minneapolis, Minnesota, but they were currently doing long distance as Nayte Olukoya lived in Austin, Texas. They have expressed that long distance is hard and especially when the relationship always under the scrutiny of the people as they met on national television but added that what they have is real and would do everything to make it work.
As for their love story, Nayte Olukoya popped the question to Michelle Young on the show's season finale. He said that he knew they had a connection the first night he met her and that he wanted to keep it. Nayte went on to say that they talked about going away together the second night they were together and that he was standing in front of her right now feeling the same way. He expressed his desire to flee with Michelle Young and ended the proposal by saying that he wanted to run away with the lady he had grown to love for the rest of his life.
Before the proposal, Michelle Young said to Nayte Olukoya that the minute he stepped out of the limo, she knew that they had some connection and added that maybe it was this kinetic moment where she was feeling things that she didn’t even really know it was possible to feel.
