Defined by bravery, strength, intuition, and voice—not by divorce.
As I often remind my clients: your journey in love can have many endings and countless new beginnings—and that’s not only okay, it’s part of life. Hi, I’m Meghan Kelly, and my love life has never followed a textbook path. It hasn’t adhered to a “typical” fairytale blueprint, but it’s mine, and I wouldn’t change a single moment. From the deepest, darkest fears to the peaks of joy and celebration, my journey has shaped the partner, mother, daughter, friend, and entrepreneur I am today. I’ve been married twice, divorced once, and given birth to three remarkable children. Life isn’t just good—it’s truly great. Thank you for taking a moment to read my story. I am honored to share it.
I met my first husband at the start of my sophomore year of college in 2002. I was 19, he was 21. We dated for a year, broke up for another year, and by January 2006—after graduation—we both found ourselves in my hometown of Los Angeles. Three years later, he proposed, and in 2010, we celebrated a beautiful wedding surrounded by family and friends. Our honeymoon took us to Greece, a dreamy escape, and just a year and a half later, we discovered we were expecting our first daughter, Leah. In 2014, a second pregnancy blessed us, and in April 2015, we welcomed our second daughter, Liv. While motherhood and nurturing two little hearts could fill an entire story on its own, this is my journey of love, so I’ll stay focused—just a little longer on that part.
Leah and Liv became my world. I stepped away from my career in nutrition to stay home full-time, cherishing every milestone, every laugh, every bedtime story. Life seemed perfect. But as the saying goes, don’t judge a book by its cover.
And then, everything shifted. The façade fell away. In October 2017, I endured an extremely traumatic event that would change the course of my life. By January 2018, I filed for legal separation, and in April 2018, I officially began my journey as a single mother. Today, I’m married to Spencer, the love of my life, and in March 2021—during the height of COVID—we welcomed our son, River. Leah and Liv adore their brother, and his smiles light up every corner of our home. Spencer and I built our marriage on friendship, love, compassion, honesty, adventure, and gratitude—a life we celebrate together every day.
Looking back, it’s clear how much I’ve evolved. The woman I was at 19, when I first fell in love, became a completely different person after navigating the first marriage, motherhood, and the challenges of adulthood. Red flags were there in my first relationship; I saw them, voiced concerns, but lacked the confidence and inner strength to act. I tolerated, I hoped, I ignored my intuition—and I suffered the consequences.
My ex-husband is the father of my daughters, and while I won’t dwell on his actions, I will share my experiences, my feelings, and my journey through fear, pain, and ultimately, growth.
Everything changed on the night of October 1, 2017—a night I’ll never forget. It was my dear friend’s bachelorette weekend in Las Vegas. Surrounded by her closest friends, we attended a country music festival, laughing and celebrating. By night three, the group had thinned to five, and we headed to the final performances at the fairgrounds. The energy was festive—until it wasn’t.
At first, I thought someone was setting off fireworks, but within moments, it became horrifyingly clear: the sounds were gunshots. Chaos erupted. People screamed and ducked for cover. That night would later be remembered as the nation’s largest mass shooting.
I ran for my life, leaving behind everything familiar, calling my then-husband in fear and asking him to kiss our daughters for me if I didn’t make it out. I survived, scarred but alive, carrying a newfound appreciation for life’s fragility. Through EMDR therapy—a treatment for trauma and PTSD—I slowly learned to process that night and the layers of pain it uncovered. Past traumas from my marriage began surfacing, and I realized I had been enduring repeated emotional wounds. My fears, self-doubt, shame, and lack of confidence—all became visible to me, and slowly, I began to heal.
Before this, I had been in therapy for years, but I hadn’t been fully honest with myself. I made excuses, pushed down feelings, and tolerated the intolerable. The shooting forced me to confront everything—my suffering, my strength, and my right to live a safe, joyful life.
I felt alone in my marriage. My husband didn’t show up emotionally when I needed him most, while family and friends rallied around me. Even after suffering physical injuries escaping over a barbed-wire fence, the person who checked on me first was my friend—not him. A harsh truth became undeniable: he struggled with empathy.
This was my turning point. I committed to transforming, strengthening, and loving myself. I listened to my inner voice, set boundaries, and refused to sacrifice my own well-being for another. Within four months, I found the courage to separate, and shortly after, I filed for divorce. Those early months were agonizing. Saying goodbye to the girls each time we exchanged them felt unbearable. Holidays alone were lonely. Yet, through the grief, I discovered my voice, reclaimed my confidence, and slowly remembered who I truly was. I felt free.
With a blank canvas before me, the girls and I created a new life—moving into a smaller home, establishing our own traditions, traveling, dancing, singing, and filling each day with love and joy.
In August 2019, Spencer entered our lives. Introduced through mutual friends, our first date revealed a man of kindness, intelligence, humor, and integrity. We moved cautiously but intentionally, both ready for love and open to a healthy relationship. My daughters quickly grew to love him—Leah with her generous heart, Liv with her careful observations—until both were fully in his embrace, laughing, playing, and learning from him.
COVID became an unexpected blessing. We shared countless family moments—TikTok dances, board games, bike lessons, and kitchen adventures. By June 2020, we bought a home together. By July, we discovered we were expecting, became engaged, and married that December, surrounded by our immediate families. Leah sang an original song, Liv brought laughter, and both girls wrote vows for Spencer that brought us all to tears.
In March 2021, River joined our family. He brought with him light, joy, and endless smiles, completing our little tribe. Our lives today are filled with love, resilience, adventure, honesty, and warmth. My heart is full beyond measure.
Professionally, I now channel my experiences into helping others as a Certified High Conflict Divorce Coach at Now Free & Found, guiding clients to navigate relationships, whether to rebuild or let go. My mission is to use my journey to empower others to create futures worth celebrating.
Thank you for allowing me to share my heart and my story.
