SINGAPORE — Wendy Cheng, also known as social media influencer Xiaxue, took to Instagram on Wednesday night to announce her separation from her husband, Michael Sayre.
In her post, the 38-year-old revealed that the decision to end their marriage after 17 years together was mutual and amicable, and that they had actually been separated for some time.
“After 17 years of being together, Mike and I have decided, mutually and amicably, to end our marriage. This announcement may come as a surprise to many of you, but we have actually been separated for a long time now.”
“This may not be the fairytale ending that everyone wishes for, but 17 years is a long time and we had a good run with loads of love, happiness and memories we formed together. Unfortunately nothing lasts forever, “she wrote in her post.
Ms Cheng noted that they will focus on co-parenting Dash and supporting each other as they move forward in separate lives.
The couple married in 2010, and Ms Cheng gave birth to their son, Dashiel — nicknamed Dash — in 2013.
Ms Cheng shared in a 2014 interview that she and Mr Sayre first connected online in 2005 when he emailed her after stumbling upon her blog.
She said then: “Usually, I ignore any emails from the opposite sex, but for some reason, I decided to reply to Mike’s. We added each other on MSN and in the beginning, we chatted every now and then, but as time went by, we started talking via MSN more frequently, and that eventually progressed into web-cam chats.”
After making numerous trips between Singapore and America, Mr Sayre moved to Singapore for Ms Cheng after his graduation.
A check on LinkedIn shows that Mr Sayre is currently the co-founder and CEO of Kabam Robotics.
During the mid-2000s, Ms Cheng gained popularity and became one of Singapore’s first social media celebrities, winning awards and securing sponsorship deals.
As a self-professed influencer, however, in recent years, she has faced backlash for some of her tweets and comments, including those that shame overweight individuals or are racially insensitive.
Ms Cheng is also well-known for her attention-seeking antics online, and openly stated that she is a supporter of the People’s Action Party (PAP).
Recently, Ms Cheng was called as a witness in the trial of “Badge Lady” Phoon Chiu Yoke, who is accused of not wearing a mask in Orchard Road.
Netizens said the depart may be a relief for both parties, some wish Mr Sayre ‘all the best in future’
When commenting on ST and Mothership‘s Facebook post, some netizens have expressed their support for the couple’s decision to split if they believe it’s what’s best for them; others have suggested that it may be a relief for both parties.
There are also concerns raised about the impact of the separation on the couple’s son. Some have noted that children often suffer emotionally in broken families, even if they receive love and attention from both parents.
While some netizens wish Mr Sayre all the best in future:
One commenter discussed the difference in the couple’s personalities and shared his own experience as an introvert of feeling uncomfortable around extroverted, attention-seeking friends.
Netizen warned Ms Cheng “Co-parenting is super hard work”
However, a netizen has expressed his understanding towards the couple’s break up, despite not being a fan of Ms Cheng.
He view the announcement as a positive one, noting that the couple had taken the time to carefully consider their decision and make plans for co-parenting and supporting each other, rather than fighting over custody or airing their grievances in public.
” Co-parenting is super hard work, possibly harder than parenting and it takes unconditional love for the child to work at it, ” he warned Ms Cheng.
Soh Rui Yong, Singapore’s leading distance runner, has weighed in on the matter, stated that divorce is a tough time for anyone and asking people to refrain from making negative comments towards the couple.
