Fleur Shomo is reflecting on her marriage with Caleb Shomo, following his announcement as a "proudly gay man" on May 23rd. The revelation was not only a shock to the public but also to Fleur herself, who had been married to her husband for 14 years.
"Not really sure how to start this, does anything even need to be said? But I guess I'll just dive right in," Fleur wrote on Instagram. The past few months have been a disorienting and hurtful time for both of them. However, despite the pain, Fleur assures that she will always love, protect, and support Caleb. "I have cared more about his well-being over the years than anything else in the world," she adds.
While Fleur is happy to see Caleb living his truth, she also opened up about the pain it has caused her. "To see the confusion and pain he went through, the highs and lows, and wanting to help but not knowing how," she explained. "You never want anything more for your person than for them to just be okay."
Fleur also announced the couple's breakup after more than a decade of marriage. "Our nearly 14 years of marriage was wonderful and full of so much fun, adventure, and love," she said. "Nobody will know anything about our marriage like we do."
Hours earlier, Caleb—who has been the frontman of the alternative metalcore band Beartooth since 2012—came out as gay. "There has been a lot of speculation surrounding my personal life as of late, and I feel compelled to set the record straight before it affects those I love any further," he wrote on Instagram. "I am a proudly gay man."
"This is something I've been unpacking and reckoning with in my life for quite some time now," the 33-year-old added. "It's been difficult to navigate the feelings surrounding the subject and figure out what to do with this fact."
Caleb noted that he previously spent time "burying feelings with alcohol," but it wasn't until he sobered up that he could come to terms with his identity. "I encourage anyone who's struggling with who they are to give yourself grace," he wrote. "Do the hard work instead of burying it down as deep as you physically can, thinking it will change like I did."
"Holding these things in only hurts you and those around you," he added. "Love you all, and hopefully this is a step in the right direction to loving myself one day."
