Teddi Mellencamp was in a rocky place with her estranged husband, Edwin Arroyave, before she filed for divorce.
“It was a long time coming and they have been up and down for the last seven-plus years,” a source close to The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills alum, 43, exclusively tells Us Weekly. “This isn’t the first time Teddi has wanted a divorce, and it has been an ongoing conversation between them for years.”
The insider notes that the now-exes “have been in therapy over the years and make it work,” adding, “They have had some really high highs and low lows over the course of their marriage.” Ultimately, “They have agreed they are better as co-parents and can be amicable moving forward,” the source states.
Mellencamp announced via Instagram on Saturday, November 2, that she had made the “difficult decision to file for divorce” from Arroyave, 47, after 13 years of marriage. “My priority is my children and ensuring that every care is taken with their privacy and wellbeing throughout this new chapter.”
She continued: “Making a public statement is not something I wanted to do but in an effort to protect my family from undue speculation and rumors, I felt being open, honest and vulnerable was the best path forward.”
Mellencamp and Arroyave wed in 2011 and share kids Slate, 12, Cruz, 10, and Dove, 4. Arroyave welcomed his eldest daughter, Isabella, during a previous marriage. Arroyave praised his now-ex in a sweet Instagram post just one week before she announced she had filed for divorce..
Teddi Mellencamp and Edwin Arroyave David Livingston/Getty Images
“I always say life and pain are inseparable. And to see @teddimellencamp embrace her pain and use it for the greater good again last night as she emceed the @curemelanoma gala, was a beautiful reminder of what she is capable of,” he wrote alongside pics of himself and Mellencamp — who has been open about her struggles with skin cancer — at the Cure Melanoma Gala in New York City on October 25. “Her story has already saved lives. And I couldn’t be prouder that she will continue to save more. Love you, Teds. So much so that I missed the Rams game to be there 🤣).”
Mellencamp’s divorce docs, filed on Friday, November 1, and obtained by Us, revealed that the two had split before attending the NYC event — their date of separation was listed as October 20.
Teddi Mellencamp may hold a diamond on TV, but her husband and kids are the real gems in her life. The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star and husband Edwin Arroyave are parents of daughter Slate and son Cruz. The Skyline Security Management founder is also the father of daughter Isabella from a previous relationship. […]
Arroyave has yet to publicly address the divorce, but has since shared a pic of himself taking the former couple’s kids to church. He has also posted various Bible verses about parenthood via his Instagram Story.
Mellencamp, meanwhile, was spotted wearing her wedding ring just hours after posting her divorce announcement online. She addressed the breakup on the Tuesday, November 5, episode of her and Tamra Judge’s “Two Ts in a Pod” podcast, stating, “I am doing alright.”
Focusing on the future, she went on to state: “I know that I am gonna keep working on feeling my best so that I can show up the best for my kids and my life and my work. I think that’s the biggest thing for me right now.”