Megan Rapinoe and Sue Bird have announced their separation.
Rapinoe and Bird made the announcement Friday, April 17 in a joint Instagram statement that read, "There really is no smooth or easy way to share this news. After a lot of thought, we’ve made the decision to separate as a couple."
The former professional athletes said it wasn't "an easy decision," but noted that it's one they made together "with so much love, respect, and care for each other."
Bird, a Hall of Fame basketball player and five-time Olympic gold medalist, and soccer star Rapinoe, a fellow gold medalist and two-time World Cup winner, started dating in 2016 after getting to know each other at the Rio Olympic Games. They announced their engagement on Instagram in October 2020.
"We’ve shared a whole life over the last decade, through big moments and in quiet ones, and that is something we’ll always carry with us," Bird and Rapinoe said in their statement. "We are so grateful to this incredible community that has held us up, welcomed us in, and supported us exactly as we are. So many of you have reminded us, again and again, why loving out loud matters."
