Done for good. Joey Lawrence and wife Chandie Lawrence (née Yawn-Nelson) have split after 15 years together, Us Weekly can confirm.
The Dancing With the Stars alum, 44, filed for divorce at a Los Angeles courthouse on Tuesday, July 14, seeking dissolution with minor children. The former couple share daughters, Charleston, 14, and Liberty, 10.
Before tying the knot with Chandie in July 2005, the Blossom actor was previously married to Michelle Vella. The exes wed in 2002 and called it quits three years later. He met his second wife at Disney World years earlier, but didn’t make a move romantically until after his split from Vella.
Weeks before news broke of his divorce, the Melissa & Joey alum penned a thoughtful tribute to his daughters as he celebrated Father’s Day with his family.
“My reason for life. My greatest blessings,” he wrote via Instagram alongside a sweet snapshot of his children snuggling up on either side of their puppy. “Being the father of these two amazing, strong, powerful young ladies (and of course my son pictured there in the middle..lol) has brought more joy and happiness into my life then [sic] I ever could have imagined. God bless all the fathers out there who enjoy and share the same blessing of being a Dad. Our job as fathers is unparalleled and literally the most important and meaningful responsibility we ever could have.”
In March 2018, Us confirmed that the formerly married couple went through a rocky financial period, filing for Chapter 7 bankruptcy after large amounts in credit card debt, back taxes and unpaid loans began to pile up. In order to keep their family afloat, court documents claimed that the duo sold their clothes, furniture and other accessories before initially filing for bankruptcy nearly one year earlier. At the time, the Brotherly Love star’s three cars, a Ford Flex, a Bentley and a BMW, were repossessed.
A month after the Celebrity Big Brother alum’s financial troubles made headlines, his case was settled and the pair was left to repay a significant sum to various creditors, including the IRS.