On a recent episode of 90 Day Fiancé, couple Ashley Martson and Jay Smith revealed they’d been facing a surprising amount of racism in regards to their relationship. In the TLC clip, they shared that someone had inundated their wedding website with hateful statements focusing on Jay’s race and the fact that they are an interracial couple. “The South will rise again,” read one of the messages that particularly shocked them. Fans were shocked, too — and suspected that the hate may have been coming from someone who knew the reality stars.

In Instagram Q&As, both halves of the couple opened up about the experience. For her part, Ashley shared that they’d actually discovered who’d been behind the disgusting messages. “[It was] some guy from my high school that I shot down,” she revealed in an Instagram story captured by blogger John Yates. “He clearly didn’t take rejection well to post on our Knot site over 100 times a decade later. Police handled it.” As for Jay, well, he had his own response when a fan asked him about dealing with the racism.

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When they suggested that he and his fiancée move to somewhere with “less racism,” he wasn’t having it. “No matter where you move to there is always going to be haters and racist people,” he wrote. “Can’t run forever.” Luckily, it sounds like this is one racist person they won’t have to deal with any longer.

Unfortunately, that doesn’t mean that Ashley and Jay will never have to face racism again. But they weathered this particular storm together, and they seem like a strong team ready to face anything that comes their way. They’ve already stayed solid and supported each other through other struggles, like Ashley’s battle with lupus. “He’s always there for me,” the star admitted on Instagram during her own Q&A. We’re just glad they have each other.

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