A father who grew up in the Mormon Church and learned that being gay is “worse than death” has sincerely pleaded with his wife after years of struggling with her sexuality.
Steve Stoddard, 40, and ex Jessica Frew, 38, of Boise, Idaho, shared their stories in a heartwarming interview published Tuesday on Good Morning America in honor of Awards Month.
The former couple, who share a daughter, had been married for nearly two years when Penny told him she was gay.
“I didn’t want to be gay and it took me a long time to admit to myself and him that yes, I am gay,” he explained as he began to embrace his sexuality.
Steve Stoddard, 40, of Boise, Idaho, said he is gay with his 38-year-old ex-wife Jessica Frew in an interview that was published on Good Morning America on Tuesday.
Stoddard and Frew grew up as members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which opposes same-sex relationships and marriages.
The former couple shares a daughter, Penny, and remembers thinking she would be “better without a father than with a gay father.”
Stoddard and Jessica Frew grew up as members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which opposes same-sex relationships and marriages.
“There was a time when I believed it would be better for Penny to be fatherless than a gay father,” she recalls.
“And I really went through a dark phase where I was suicidal for a few years and really struggled to see the value in me of being able to live a natural life where I was taught to be very wrong and worse than death itself.”
Frew quickly realized that Stoddard’s sexuality had nothing to do with him, and focused on supporting him rather than being angry at her revelation.
Frew (pictured with her husband Matt Frew) soon realized that Stoddard’s sexuality had nothing to do with her and focused on supporting him rather than getting angry.
Stoddard said he once committed suicide because he was taught that being gay is “worse than death.”
Stoddard and Frew eventually divorced, but they always remained friends
Matt admitted that it was an adaptation to have his wife’s ex around all the time at first, but he wouldn’t have wanted it otherwise.
“It felt like Steve was exploring and finding out who he was,” she told GMA. “And I made a very clear point in my mind not to let it turn into a betrayal. I knew it wasn’t about me.
Stoddard and Frew eventually divorced, but remained friends.
“I’ve always had the innate gift of loving myself and embracing the person I was meant to be,” she said.
“And if you do, you can help other people do that too by recognizing that what they’re going through has nothing to do with you personally.”
“Now ‘Where’s Steve? When is Steve coming? ‘” explained Matt
Frew and her husband are now on vacation with Stoddard and her boyfriend
The Frews are still active members of the Mormon Church and raise Penny in the same faith.
“She looks normal,” Penny told GMA about her mixed family.
Frew, who has since remarried, continues to co-parent her daughters while spending the holidays with Stoddard and his friend.
Hair her husband, Matt Frew, admitted at first that it was an adaptation for his wife’s ex to be around all the time, but he wouldn’t have wanted it otherwise.
“Now ‘Where’s Steve? When is Steve coming?’ he explained.
Frew and her husband are still active members of the Mormon Church and raise Penny in the same faith. She believes showing others how their karma family works is part of their service.
And while Stoddard’s main concern about being exposed was his daughter Penny, his fears were unfounded.
“It looks normal,” he told GMA.
Source: Daily Mail
