Though the title of the VH1 show is Basketball Wives, Shaunie O’Neal’s popular reality program was always pretty sparse on the actual wives. But during season three of the Miami installment, Meeka Claxton was a cast member and an actual wife who was also a mother and entrepreneur. Her relationship with retired NBA star Speedy Claxton seemed solid, as Speedy, born Craig Claxton, always came off on the show as a big supporter of his wife and one to give sound advice. But after eight years of marriage, Meeka announced on PYNK.com that the couple have decided to go their separate ways, at least for now:
Our next chapter will be our best chapter…” This was my promise to my daughters as I looked them in their big brown eyes and explained as best I could that mommy and daddy could not be together anymore.
After 16 years together, 8 years of marriage, living in 7 different cities, 2 beautiful daughters and a championship, unfortunately, Speedy and I have decided to separate.
But not because we didn’t try or because we didn’t want our family to work. If you know me even a little bit, then you know that my family means more to me than anything else.
For the last 10 months I have fought hard for my family because I didn’t get married to get divorced. I love Craig (aka Speedy) and our family more than anything. I believe in the bond of family and the positive effect a two parent household can have on children because that’s how I was raised. It’s #FOE…Family Over Everything and that’s what I have been instilling in my kids since Day 1.
As a mother, I try my best to raise young girls to be independent, confident women but there comes a time when you have to teach by example and this was one of those times.
Giving up doesn’t always mean you’re weak. Sometimes it means you are strong enough and smart enough to let go and move on.
Craig is an amazing father and he and I will continue to co-parent. Life is about accepting what is, letting go of what was, and having the utmost faith in what will be…God’s got us
-Meeka Claxton
Meeka will be doing a column on Mondays for PYNK that will detail her transition into the single life, learning to co-parent and trying to ease back into doing things on her own. It’s unfortunate that these two are splitting, but we’re hoping that they will continue to be peaceful and mature about it.
