Danae Hays Speaks Out After Announcing Split from Wife Mandie, 3 Years After Their Wedding (Exclusive)

In an exclusive statement to PEOPLE, Hays thanked fans for their 'kind words and support' following her split from Kaii

TikToker Danae Hays and her wife, Mandie Kaii, have split.

The content creator and comedian confirmed the news while on the road for her first tour, which runs through December. She shared a heartfelt message on Instagram and TikTok explaining the reason behind their decision to part ways.

"We are both deeply saddened to share that we have decided to go our separate ways," Hays began the post. "This decision did not come easy as we both have so much love and respect for one another... but it is truly what is best for both of us. We have felt your guys' love for us for years and have soaked it in with gratitude."

"We know so much of our relationship was in the public eye but if you could respect our privacy as we navigate through this extremely difficult time it would be greatly appreciated. We love y'all," she continued.

In an exclusive statement to PEOPLE provided by Hays' rep, she further addressed the split, thanking fans for their "kind words and support."

"I’m beyond grateful for ya’ll giving me the time to process this and close this chapter," the statement continued. "I’m looking forward to getting back on the road with my fans and doing what brings me the most joy… making people laugh! Hopefully, you can come to a show soon, and we can turn this into a happy story on how fun the tour is!"

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Hays and Kaii first met through Instagram in 2016. After talking on social media, they decided to meet in person. Years later, on April 3, 2021, the two tied the knot.

For their second anniversary, Kaii shared a sweet recap video of them from their wedding day on Instagram. "Two years of being your wife and a lifetime to go ✨ @danae.hays I love you more than anything in this world. HAPPY 2 YEARS LOVE 💍🤍," Kaii captioned the post.

Before meeting Kaii, Hays lived in a small town in Alabama with her parents. In an October 2022 interview with LGBTQNation, she shared that at age 9, she told her mom she was attracted to girls and her parents later sent her to a “conversion therapy” counselor. At age 25, she left Alabama, met Kaii and came out as gay on social media.

“Some of my old teachers have been some of the biggest supporters of me,” Hays told the outlet. “Some of my old teachers have reached out telling me that they knew I was gay from day one and have nothing but love for me now as they did back when I was in their classroom. Hearing that from adults that have seen me grow up before their eyes was so reassuring and comforting.”

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