Drew Sidora and Ralph Pittman of the Real Housewives of Atlanta are divorced, PEOPLE can exclusively report.
“Love is a beautiful thing,” Pittman, 37, told PEOPLE in an exclusive statement. “Unfortunately, Drew and I have made the painful decision to move on to our next chapters, separate from each other. We have three lovely young children, and their mindset and growth are what are most important. As we traverse this difficult time, I ask that you please respect our privacy.”
Pittman’s divorce petition was received on Monday, according to records obtained by PEOPLE. Documents acquired by PEOPLE show that Sidora, 37, filed her own divorce petition an hour before Pittman.
Pittman stated that the couple separated on February 19, while The Game actress claimed they have been separated since last Thursday, February 23.
Pittman’s paperwork requests joint legal and physical custody of their children, but Sidora’s petition states that “there is no opportunity or hope of reconciliation” between the couples.
Pittman and Sidora married in August 2014. They have a boy, Machai, in June 2015, and a daughter, Aniya, in February 2018. Josiah, an 11-year-old kid from a prior relationship, is also a That’s So Raven alum.
RHOA covered several of the couple’s marital problems leading up to their divorce.
Sidora noticed a disturbing text conversation between her husband and his female employee last year (who was later fired). “It was incredibly difficult for me to find out my spouse was becoming close with his helper,” she stated on the episode. “I packed my children and we traveled to Chicago. I literally fled my house.”
Sidora also requested that Pittman “respect the connection.”
Kenya Moore, an RHOA castmate, called Pittman “very disrespectful” as he faced accusations of gaslighting his wife.
“You’re basically saying she’s lying and this isn’t how it happened,” Moore, 52, told Pittman in a 2022 episode. “That would irritate me to no end if someone said that to my face, especially if I was in pain. Do you not see what I mean? You’re destroying her.”
Despite their difficulties, Sidora told BET in June that the couple intended to fight for their marriage.
“I imagined it was going to be like Cinderella, like a happily ever after, and so that’s what we believed it was going to be,” she explained. “My parents, who have been married for almost 60 years, made it appear so simple. I’m in a scenario where we have children and are relocating to a new city – life is occurring and people are changing and growing.”
She went on, “It’s difficult because you wonder if you should stay in this marriage or if you’d be better off by yourself. Then I thought to myself, what can we do to fix this when two individuals commit and continue to commit to each other? You’re changing counselors to find the right one — yet we’re devoted, and I believe that’s what keeps everyone together.”
Sidora also noted that it’s “not that it’s perfect because I’m not perfect and God knows he’s not perfect,” but they “keep doing the work” nonetheless.
