Chelsea Griffin and Kwame Appiah said on May 15 that they are separating after four years of marriage, posting a black-and-white photo of themselves in a joint Instagram update that opened with the words “Life Update” and a mending heart emoji. The next two slides spelled out the same message more plainly: the couple is getting a divorce.

Griffin said it was “heartbreaking” to share that their marriage is ending, adding that she had entered the relationship with deep love, commitment and the intention of building a lasting life together. Appiah said last week would have been their wedding anniversary and called the decision one of the hardest either of them had to make. He said the split comes after four years together and that the pair are going their separate ways because their life goals do not align.

The announcement lands after a long stretch in which the couple remained one of the better-known marriages to come out of Love Is Blind Season 4. Appiah and Griffin met in the pods, where he sang an original song called “Real Love” before proposing. They said “I do” and became one of three couples in Season 4 to get married, later sharing goofy videos together on Instagram and, as recently as March, appearing in the audience at the Love Is Blind Season 10 reunion.

That public friendliness is part of what makes the split sting more sharply for viewers who followed them from the beginning. Griffin said she poured her whole heart into the marriage and wanted it to work until the end, while Appiah said they built a life filled with memories, laughter and love that he will always be grateful for. Both framed the breakup as something that came after serious effort rather than a sudden break.

Still, the pair left little doubt about where things stand now. Griffin said she remains grateful for the life, memories and experiences they shared and hopes for clarity and healing. Appiah said they will always have respect and care for each other in everything they shared, and that they are eternally grateful for the love, support and purpose they gained during their time together.

What comes next for kwame and chelsea is clear enough from their own words: a marriage that began on television and continued in public is now ending in divorce, with both asking to be seen not as a failed match but as two people moving in different directions after trying to make it work.