’90 Day Fiance’ Alum Michael Confirms Split From Juliana After Nearly 2 Years of Marriage: ‘My Heart Is Broken’

Dunzo. 90 Day Fiancé alum Michael Jessen confirmed his split from wife Juliana Custodio after weeks of breakup speculation. The former season 7 stars called it quits after nearly two years of marriage.

“A quick break from my social media break to say …. #HappyAnniversary @julianacustodiooo ♥️♥️🎂🎂🥂🥂 Today is only our second wedding anniversary and, sadly, our last,” Michael, 44, wrote via Instagram on Tuesday, October 12. “Our marriage is a Covid-19 casualty that will not be showing up in any statistics. Thankfully, you are quickly emerging healthier and stronger than ever. Some of the rest of us will likely be staying in intensive care for quite some time.”

The TLC personality continued, “Your experiences in life have developed in you a resilience, self-reliance, and independence that allows you to survive, and even thrive, under almost any circumstance. You also possess a natural and an incredibly beautiful joy, happiness, and positivity that made me fall in love with you the first time we were ever together. Those of us who truly know you realize that the beauty inside of you is even more incredible than your beauty on the outside.”

“I understand how our situation throughout the pandemic could slowly, and eventually completely, drain you of these qualities. All of us were completely drained by the end of it and I did not maintain the strength of mind and the fortitude to be the husband that you wanted me to be. The stress and the pressure of providing for everyone got the better of me and I did not take care of myself. All along, I failed to recognize that you were there for me,” he added. “I do not blame you for wanting to leave and for desiring a new start. You are more suited for the life that you had before we met and I can understand why you would want to return. Your happiness is more important to me than me being a part of your unhappiness.”

The Connecticut resident added, “My love for you remains true and will always be there for you. I am happy that you have moved on and have quickly found someone new. I hope that you will have lasting love and happiness and achieve every dream that you set out upon. If anyone can do it, it is you, and I will always be rooting for you. I will remain with you in the wonderful memories that we shared together. My heart is broken.”

Juliana, 25, responded to the claims of her moving on and finding someone new in her own statement via Instagram. Read her full statement here.

Michael and Juliana made their debut on season 7 of TLC’s 90 Day Fiancé. They met at a yacht party in Croatia and they fell in love almost immediately. The entrepreneur proposed to the Brazilian beauty and they documented their K-1 visa journey on the reality show. The model quickly adjusted to life in America and became close with Michael’s ex-wife, Sarah, and their two children, Max and CeCe. Michael and Sarah have such an amicable relationship that she was the one who officiated Michael and Juliana’s wedding.

“Despite what’s reported about her not liking Juliana, her and Juliana get along really well in real life,” a source exclusively revealed to In Touch in 2019. “Sarah has moved on and is engaged to be married. She’s happy for Michael that he found love again with Juliana.”

When the coronavirus pandemic reached a peak in March 2020, Michael and Juliana hunkered down to quarantine with Sarah, her husband, Sean, and the former couple’s two children. They filmed their experience for an episode of TLC’s limited series,  90 Day Fiancé: Self-Quarantined. Sarah had just been diagnosed with a rare form of breast cancer one month earlier, so their blended family decided to stick together and be a source of support for one another and the kids. But with all of those adults in one home, there was bound to be a little bit of tension.

“Living in the house with everyone is easy and hard at the same time,” Juliana admitted in her confessional. “Cause we are all friends, but of course sometimes they don’t agree with each other so just suddenly fight.”