Tarek El Moussa Reflects on Finding Love
In a heartfelt anniversary homage, he added of the “Selling Sunset” star, “It was her who taught me to love myself and others again.”
After meeting his wife, Heather El Moussa, Tarek El Moussa thinks back on all the wonderful ways his life has altered.
Tarek, 42, revealed in a heartfelt Instagram post on Monday, the couple’s second wedding anniversary, that he was “sad and lonely” before meeting the 36-year-old star of Selling Sunset.
“I sometimes pinch myself because I can’t believe this is my life. I have three amazing kids and an incredible wife,” the HGTV personality wrote after wishing Heather a happy anniversary.
“Before Heather, I really lived a different life and I know many of you can relate,” he continued. “I was honestly just sad and lonely without her. It was her who brought me back to life. It was she who taught me to love myself and others again. It was she who made me believe I deserved more. It was her who gave me hope.”
Tarek continued by saying that he was looking forward to the future with Heather at his side.
“The whole family has had the most amazing two years, and I can’t wait for many more! Using his loving moniker for his wife, he continued, “I simply love you, bunny, more than the universe, and it’s me and you forever.”
His anniversary post included a number of pictures of the couple, including a fun candid of the two holding hands in a hotel room and two throwbacks from their October 2021 wedding day.
Heather posted her own loving message to her husband for their anniversary. Alongside a collection of photos from their nuptials, she wrote, “Happy wedding anniversary, my sweet love. I can’t believe it’s been 2 years of marriage & going on 5 years together.”
She went on to detail how Tarek has been a wonderful husband and partner for her. “You have stayed true to the vows that you said to me two years ago: you have loved me for all that I am, you have protected my heart and put our family first — always — and you have shown me that I picked the right man,” she wrote.
“You are an incredible dad to our baby Tristan and Tay & Bray, and nothing makes me happier than the family and life that we have built together,” she continued, referring to the couple’s 8-month-old son, Tristan, and Tarek’s two children with ex-wife Christina Hall — Taylor, 13, and Brayden, 8.
Following their seven-year marriage, Tarek talked about his loneliness following his 2016 divorce from Hall, 40.
In a December 2022 Instagram post, he acknowledged that the holidays were especially challenging for him as a recently divorced man.
“I had some lonely holidays for a while there,” he captioned the photo. “I’m never going back!”
In 2019, after receiving two different cancer diagnoses, he told PEOPLE that his divorce had left him “completely broken.”
“I was so broken, mentally, spiritually, and physically,” he added. “I simply never imagined that I would ever be vulnerable again. I never imagined that I would be at risk once more.
Then he met Heather, around whom he said he “just lit up inside.”
“I had this feeling that I hadn’t felt in 20 years,” he recalled. “I was married for a long time, with my ex for a long time. I hadn’t had that feeling towards another woman. So it was really, really new and exciting.”
After terminating his first marriage, Tarek said that he didn’t think he would find love again and later reflected on how fortunate he is to have Heather in his life.
He captioned an Instagram reel from June 2022 with the words, “If you asked me a few years ago if I thought I was going to meet another woman to be a part of mine and the kids’ lives, I’d say no, but who knew I was going to find my best friend, my confidante, my soulmate.”
I believe everybody has a soulmate with whom they may live out their days. I’m fortunate to have discovered my soulmate,” he continued.
