Former New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio and his wife, Chirlane McCray, are separating after 29 years of marriage.
Things aren’t ending off on a bad note between the longtime couple. During an interview with the New York Times, de Blasio and McCray clarified that they would not be divorcing. The former love birds will continue to share their family townhome in Brooklyn but have chosen to date other people.
McCray, 68, said she and her soon-to-be former husband came to the realization that their love had dwindled as they were watching TV at home one night. The former Mayor struck up the uncomfortable conversation first, according to McCray, “Why aren’t you lovey-dovey anymore?” the writer and political activist recalled her husband saying during their tough chat.
After hours of reflecting on their marriage, the soon-to-be separated pair came to the realization that they weren’t truly fulfilled in their longtime union. “You can’t fake it,” Ms. McCray told the New York Times. “You can feel when things are off,” Mr. de Blasio, 62, added.
The former Mayor met his wife in the early ‘90s while working for Democrat David Dinkins, New York City’s first Black mayor.
McCray stood diligently by the public advocate’s side as he bravely entered into the 2013 Democratic mayoral primary race. With hard work and determination, de Blasio won and went on to serve two terms in office. Naturally, the interracial couple’s marriage became a point of focus during his tenure, but the pair never let questions and the inevitable drama outshine their marriage.
During de Blasio’s tenure, McCray helped her husband as the leader of ThriveNYC, a program that aimed to provide resources to those suffering from mental health issues across New York City. The initiative gained backlash from critics who raised an eyebrow at the program’s whopping $1 billion budget.
She was also by the mayor’s side when he announced his candidacy for the 2020 Democratic presidential campaign, although it was short-lived. Reflecting on their 29-year-long marriage, de Blasio said he wished he and his wife would have had their tough discussion sooner.
“I can look back now and say, ‘Here were these inflection points where we should have been saying something to each other,’” the politician added. “And I think one of the things I should have said more is: ‘Are you happy? What will make you happy? What’s missing in your life?’”
During an interview with the Associated Press, McCray said she and her husband spoke to the New York Times about their separation to avoid gossip from spreading.
“As very public people embarking on a new chapter, we thought it better to say all this openly before anyone tries to find negativity or before any misunderstandings occur,” she explained. McCray and de Blasio will remain friends and “have only respect and admiration for each other,” the activist and author added.
We’re sad to see these two separate, but we wish Mr. de Blasio and Ms. McCray the best of luck in the next stages of their lives.
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