Danae Hays Speaks Out After Announcement of Divorce from Wife Mandie, 3 Years After Their Marriage (Exclusive)

In an exclusive statement to PEOPLE, Hays thanked her fans for their “kind words and support” following her split from Kaii

TikToker Danae Hays and her wife, Mandie Kaii, have split.

The content creator and comedian confirmed the news during her first tour, which runs through December, sharing a heartfelt message on Instagram and TikTok explaining the reasoning behind their decision to part ways.

“We are both heartbroken to share that we have decided to go our separate ways,” Hays began the post. “This decision was not an easy one as we both have so much love and respect for each other…but it is truly what is best for both of us. We have felt your husbands’ love for us for years and have absorbed it with gratitude.”

“We know that much of our relationship has been in the public eye, but if you could respect our privacy as we navigate this extremely difficult time, it would be greatly appreciated. We love you all,” she continued.

In an exclusive statement to PEOPLE, provided by Hays’ rep, she further addressed the split and thanked her fans for their “kind words and support.”

“I am beyond grateful for giving me the time to process this and close this chapter,” the statement continued. “I am looking forward to getting back on tour with my fans and doing what brings me the most joy…making people laugh! Hopefully you can come to a show soon and we can turn this into a happy story about how much fun the tour is!”

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Hays and Kaii first met on Instagram in 2016. After a conversation on social media, they decided to meet in real life. Years later, on April 3, 2021, the two got married.

For their second anniversary, Kaii shared a sweet recap video from their wedding day on Instagram. “2 years as your wife and still a lifetime to go ✨ @danae.hays I love you more than anything in this world. HAPPY 2 YEARS OF LOVE 💍🤍,” Kaii captioned the post.

Before meeting Kaii, Hays lived with her parents in a small town in Alabama. In an October 2022 interview with LGBTQNationshe said she told her mother she was attracted to girls at age 9, and her parents later sent her to a “conversion therapy” therapist. At 25, she left Alabama, met Kaii, and came out as gay on social media.

“Some of my old teachers have been some of my biggest supporters,” Hays told the outlet. “Some of my old teachers have reached out to me and said that they knew I was gay from day one and that they have nothing but love for me now, just like they did when I was in their class. Hearing that from adults who have watched me grow up before their eyes has been so reassuring and comforting.”

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