Rugby star Ben Foden, who split from ex-wife Una Healy last July, has married his new girlfriend Jacky Belanoff Smith after just two weeks of “serious” dating.
And Ben – who is dad to seven-year-old daughter Aoife and four-year-old son Tadhg, with Una – said the former Saturdays star has given the marriage her “blessing”.
Sharing pictures of the ceremony, which took place on a yacht off the coast of Nantucket, Massachusetts, Ben said New Yorker Jacky had “swept me off my feet”.
Revealing that the past year “has been by far my toughest and most turbulent for a number of reasons”, Ben commented that the “world has a funny way of working things out”.
He added: “Many people think I’m a bad person but I met a girl who seriously swept me off my feet and in a time of hardship showed me love, a deep devoted love”.
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Ben admitted: “People will say we are mad or crazy or even fools, as @snackyjax and I had only been dating seriously for a little over two weeks before deciding to get married.”
However, he aded: “But when someone like her comes in to your life, why would I wait?”
Revealing that “the people who needed to know, such as close family and friends, were told before anyone else”, Ben added: “And they are happy for me, including my beautiful ex-wife @unahealy, who I love even more for her blessing.”
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Ben said: “Life is short and you only get one and it’s worth living. Jackie is the greatest human being I’ve ever come across – she’s beautiful inside and out, intelligent, charming, funny, generous, kind, gentle, energetic the list goes on.”
Admitting that she will be “a great step mum to Aoife and Tadhg”, Ben said she “offers me a future I can’t wait to explore with her”.
He added: “My heart is full and I honestly couldn’t be happier, so those that want to bring negativity or try and tear me down go ahead. My life is great and I hope you all will one day feel happiness like i feel while I write this caption.”
Paying tribute to his new wife, Ben finished his post: “I love you @snackyjax, I can’t wait to see where our lives lead together. You brought excitement and joy to my life and I couldn’t be prouder having stand at my side as Mrs Foden.”
Ben had previously opened up about his relationship with ex-wife Una, saying that he would “always” love her.
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