Mayci dealt with the heartbreaking loss of her ex Arik Mack before Mormon Wives
She was 14 weeks pregnant at the time of his passing
At just 19, Mayci discovered she was pregnant, and her world shifted forever.
The father was her college sweetheart, Arik Mack. But before they could build a future together, the family was struck by tragedy.
Reportedly, a simple text argument turned into a heartbreak she never saw coming. Learning of Arik’s death while scrolling through social media at that moment changed everything. That loss, Mayci says, shaped not only her path to motherhood but the woman she became.
Mayci’s ex Arik Mack tragically died
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When Mayci was a freshman on a tennis scholarship, she and Arik found out they were expecting.
On March 24, 2015, they argued by text. What she didn’t know was that Arik was driving. Later that day, he got into a head‑on collision with a semitruck and died instantly, per E! Online.
Mayci learned of the accident not from police or a call, but from tribute posts on social media, per Mamma Mia! In her memoir, she recalled how devastated she felt, knowing she’d never hear his laugh again, knowing their child would never know their father, reported The List.
That crash changed her life in an instant. Suddenly, the Hulu star was a pregnant teen left to navigate grief and motherhood alone. Her son, Hudson Neeley, was born on September 21, 2015.
She’s spoken about his passing since
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For a long time, Mayci carried guilt, grief, and regret, not just over the accident but over their last fight. She has described it as “the darkest time” of her life, saying she could barely shower alone and needed her mother’s support to even leave the house.
In her memoir, released in October 2025, she writes about that last text from Arik, apologising for cheating, ending with a final letter “J,” and how hours later she learned of his death, per 24h Magazine.
During The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives, she finally shared this story publicly. During season two, she and her husband visited the crash site to honour Arik’s memory. She’s said she still wakes with grief every March, the month he died.
Though the pain remains, she often credits Hudson with giving her purpose. She returned to university, finished her tennis scholarship, and rebuilt her life. Now married to Jacob Neeley, with two daughters and expecting another child, she seems determined to honour her past while building a future for her family.
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