Mayci Neeley, Arik Mack, and the Love That Changed Her Life
Sometimes life feels like it happens to you before you even know what living really is. That’s how Mayci Neeley’s journey reads: raw, painful, tender, hopeful. And it all begins long before Instagram fame or reality TV.
The Girl Before the Story
Mayci was young. Really young. A Division I tennis player at Brigham Young University, ambitious, driven, navigating faith, school, and a complicated world. Then came love in the form of Arik Mack, her boyfriend, around age 19.
They were excited and overwhelmed in all the ways 19-year-olds can be, hopeful, scared, planning, dreaming. And then, life shifted.
“I Only Have Love, and I Feel Like I’ll Always Have a Piece of Him in My Heart”
What makes this story instantly gripping is the truth in Mayci’s own words.
In her memoir Told You So, she opens one of the most painful chapters of her life. She writes about the day she learned Arik died, hours after a fight they had over text:
“Certain parts of it were hard to share… I did talk about the heartbreak of being cheated on… And then his dying literally within an hour of finding that out was so confusing and intense for me to deal with, the emotion of being upset at him, and then all of a sudden, he passed away. All you feel is love and sadness.”
The betrayal, heartbreak, and loss all collide at the same time.
She also says:
“When someone passes away, all you think about is the good times, and that’s why I’m happy to remember. Overall, our relationship was very happy and positive… But at the end of the day, all I have is love and happiness in my heart for him.”
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The Accident
Arik didn’t die peacefully or quietly. He died in a sudden car crash while texting her during their argument. She didn’t find out from him. She found out on Instagram, scrolling through posts, tributes, and photos of a car wrecked beyond recognition.
“I started to shake and felt physically sick… It was Arik’s car. I was utterly destroyed.”
At that moment, her young life fractured. Her boyfriend, her first love, is gone. And she was less than halfway through her pregnancy with their son, Hudson.
She writes about the hopelessness that followed. The way grief shut down even the most basic parts of living, breathing, eating, and studying. It was the darkest time of her life.
Reflections From Mayci
Mayci has said publicly that grief didn’t just end when the funeral did:
“I do still have that grief, and it’s a part of me, regardless of writing it or not.”
She also gave this insight into how that loss shaped her reactions to life later:
“I don’t like leaving things on a bad note because I know how precious and fragile life is and how soon it could be gone.”
That’s not a quote people drop lightly. That’s someone who’s stared at loss and decided, “I’m not letting petty drama be the last thing we remember.”
Hudson: A Life After Loss
Hudson was born on September 21, 2015, just months after Arik’s death. Mayci has said, in other interviews outside the memoir, that her son essentially saved her life.
She’s spoken about how people reacted to her tragedy:
“You’re young… You have plenty of time to find a father for your son.” “At least you’ll never have to co-parent.”
Hurtful things, right? But in the middle of that pain, she found a reason to keep going, and Hudson became that reason.
Jacob Neeley: The “Kind and Safe” Love
After Arik’s death, Mayci navigated college and motherhood solo. Then came Jacob, humble, calm, attentive, and more.
In her memoir, she writes:
“After everything I’d been through, I was very guarded, but Jacob was kind, and we got on really well… I was terrified of getting hurt again.”
And there it is, the instinct most people have after pain: don’t let anyone too close.
Yet, slowly, he did.
Mayci goes on to explain that Jacob’s kindness wasn’t flashy; it just felt safe—something she needed after so much heartbreak.
They started as friends, kept their relationship slow, and eventually, four months later, she couldn’t deny her feelings. Not just admiration, not just comfort, feelings.
Jacob proposed in November 2017 with a homemade photo book telling their story, the last page reading,
“Now it’s time for your happily ever after…”
They married on June 8, 2018, and life expanded in the sweetest ways. That makes him Mayci Neeley’s first husband; she got married legally.
Their Family Today
Jacob didn’t just marry Mayci; he embraced her whole world.
- He legally adopted Hudson in March 2023, making him Hudson’s dad in every way that matters.
- The couple welcomed their daughter, Harlow, in February 2021.
- And just recently, in July 2025, they welcomed Charli, their newest joy.
Their life isn’t perfect. But it’s full. Warm. Hard-earned.
Mayci openly documented their IVF journey, including moments when Jacob was literally giving her progesterone shots in the living room, a small detail that tells you everything about how involved he is.
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How Mayci Talks About It All Now
Mayci’s story in Told You So isn’t a neat Hollywood narrative. It’s honest and real.
She’s said writing the book brought up old grief, pain that never fully leaves you, but also helped her make sense of things she buried for years.
And beyond the tragedy, she’s become a voice for otheothersspecially women who’ve experienced trauma, loss, abuse, or heartbreak. Her journey isn’t just personal; it’s relatable.
A Life Full of Contrasts
Here’s what’s striking about Mayci’s story:
- Love. Loss. And how love can still blossom after grief.
- A teenage heart was shattered, and later healed enough to trust again.
- A memoir that doesn’t shy away from ugly, tender, brave moments.
- A family that’s grounded in compassion and resilience.
She once said in an interview:
“It’s going to be able to relate to so many different people who have gone through something similar.”
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Final Thoughts
As many are asking, who is Mayci Neeley’s first husband? Arik was her first big love, not her husband, but the father of her first child, and his death shaped her in ways both painful and beautiful. That experience taught her empathy, courage, and ultimately, how to love again with Jacob, not despite her past, but with all of it.
Her story isn’t polished. It’s lived. And that makes it unforgettable.
