When the news broke that one pink-haired Southside Serpe``nt was dating (and later, marrying) a Major League Baseball player, it's safe to say that many stans were present and accounted for. Not only are Vanessa Morgan and Michael Kopech unanimously beautiful together, but they also seemed to have a rock solid bond. Needless to say, baseball fans and Riverdale fans alike have had a lot to take in in recent weeks with both a pregnancy announcement and a divorce filing. Yup, Vanessa Morgan and Michael Kopech's relationship timeline is a total whirlwind, and I'm going to take you through every single step. (Elite Daily reached out to representatives for both stars; Morgan's rep declined to comment, and Kopech's did not respond in time for publication).
Odds are, the big question on your mind (and admittedly mine as well) is this: How does a couple go from falling "intensely, passionately...recklessly in love" (Kopech's words) to filing for divorce in just one year? The couple has shared numerous reassuring glimpses into their relationship over the years — and all signs pointed to sheer bliss. In the last eight months alone, Morgan has posted pics of them snuggled up in a canoe, entangled in each other's arms, and excitedly celebrating their nuptials — all accompanied by captions that suggest the couple was happy and hopelessly in love.
Given that neither Morgan nor Kopech has publicly commented on their split, fans are still scratching their heads over what went wrong. Alas, here's a highlight reel from their time together that may provide some helpful clues about their relationship.
July 2018: A Summer Romance Begins.
Morgan and Kopech were first romantically linked in July of 2018, when the Chicago White Sox pitcher was spotted in one of Morgan's IG Stories on what appeared to be a super adorable picnic date.
According to Us Weekly, the Riverdale star wrote in the caption "Picnics + him," adding a red heart emoji and a heart-eyes emoji for good measure.
Morgan later told E! News that they had connected on social media sometime around June 2018. Um, did their relationship start with a DM slide? Either way, gotta love when celebrity romances are surprisingly relatable.
August 2018: Morgan Congratulates Her Boo.
Morgan showed she's a super supportive GF when she sang Kopech's praises in an August 2018 Instagram post about his budding baseball career.
"To the hardest worker I know," she wrote in the caption. "No one deserves this more than you. You’re gonna kill it pitching for the Chicago @whitesox and can’t wait to be there to cheer you on."
December 2018: They Take A Couple's Getaway.
About six months into dating, Morgan offered a glimpse into their stay at the Planet Hollywood Beach Resort in Costa Rica. In the video, Kopech can be seen giving her a sweet kiss on the forehead, and Morgan sings along to Day + Shay's "Tequila." Looks like an ideal vacay to me.
April 2019: Morgan Wishes Kopech A Happy Bday
About a year into dating, Morgan commemorated Kopech's birthday with a short clip of them kissing, which she shared on the 'Gram. She added under the video, "Happy birthday to my 🌎. Thanking god you were born on this day 23 years ago. Love doing life with you, love growing with you & I love this spiritual journey we both are on ... Thanks for helping me become the best version of myself."
Now that's a birthday tribute.
July 2019: Kopech Proposes.
On July 3, Morgan broke the news via IG that she and Kopech were engaged. In the post, she included a pic of them posing in front of a stunning waterfall (in which her jaw-dropping ring is fully visible), and another selfie of them smooching. The proposal went down at the Grand Canyon's Mooney Falls, and Kopech also documented the occasion by sharing (now-deleted) video footage of the occasion. Us Weekly reported that in the video, Morgan said "yes," and cheers from loved ones could be heard in the background as they embraced.
Kopech also revealed some additional deets about in another now-deleted IG post — like the fact that the proposal was pretty spontaneous.
“So I’ll start with the obvious: I love you," he wrote to Morgan, according to Just Jared. "I love you intensely, passionately, & also at times, recklessly. I make decisions on the spur of the moment. I’m a very non-traditional type of person and I know I’ve found my match in you when it comes to that especially. Our relationship probably doesn’t make sense to many people for a sh*t ton of reasons, but we’re not doing it for them. We know this is forever. Why would we wait?”
The White Sox player, also added that Morgan "stayed by his side" when he felt like he had "lost his mind" and through "seemingly random changes" in his life.
"You’re undeniably the spark that reignited my fire," he added. "You’re deserving of much more than just this moment but this one just felt particularly magical. … I’ll never have enough words to tell you how much I love you, but I promise to always show you."
December 2019: Morgan Gets Lovey-Dovey On IG.
Morgan proved once again that they had achieved #couplegoals status when she posted an adorable set of pics in which they're posing on a dock by a lake. The caption read, "We just cheesin' 24/7 these days."
About a week prior, she posted equally romantic pics of them cozying up in a canoe with the caption, "My Tarzan."
January 2020: They Tie The Knot.
Morgan and Kopech tied the knot on January 4 at the Historic Walton House in Homestead, Florida — and they the festivities were pretty intimate, with just around 40 guests. E! News reported that Morgan's one-of-a-kind lace gown, which was designed by Eisen-Stein Bridal, was adorned with dazzling beads. Kopech, meanwhile, wore a stylish beige suit. Several Riverdale stars, including Camila Mendes, Skeet Ulrich, and Drew Tanner, were in attendance — and Madelaine Petsch (aka Cheryl Blossom) served as a bridesmaid. (Um, where was my invite? Lost in the mail, I presume?)
According to E! News, "Truly Madly Deeply" by Yoke Lore was playing when Morgan walked down the aisle, and they enjoyed their first dance to the song "My Best Friend" by Tim McGraw.
“We both knew the first day we met that 'this is it' and I’m so excited that today officially starts our forever,” Morgan told E! News at the time. "Today, I vowed to love my best friend for a lifetime and it was a day spent with those we love in a room filled with endless love. I can’t wait to spend the rest of my life with him."
Morgan later shared some photos from their wedding day on Insta, and wrote in the caption, "My wedding was a fairytale, getting emotional even thinking about it." In a separate post with pics from the affair, she wrote: "Thank you for teaching me the true meaning of unconditional love. You let me be me, you let me be free. My Eternal." When she shared a snipped from her wedding video in another post, she called it "the best day of my life."
January 2020: Morgan Praises Kopech On The 'Gram.
On January 22, Morgan took the opportunity to commend her boo for his philanthropic efforts. She shared a cute pic of them together at a charity event for cancer at the Ronald McDonald house, writing, "So PROUD of my husband for shaving his head today... Today warmed my heart."
She also added a flirtatious comment and a winky face at the end: "Not minding the new Son’s of Anarchy look, babe."
January 2020: They Get Real About Their Bond.
On the White Sox Talk podcast in late January, the couple opened up about the nature of their relationship. In that interview, Morgan called Kopech her "twin flame."
“On our first date, it was just so easy and comfortable and relaxed," said Kopech. "I felt like I had known her for a lifetime. And honestly, I knew right away,” he said. “We moved pretty quick.”
Morgan agreed, adding that it's like that old saying — "when you know, you know."
Kopech got emotional about his mental health during that interview as well.
"I think the more real we can be with each other, the more those mental health issues, those dark thoughts, they don’t seem so lonely," he explained on the podcast. "You know, other people have them, they’re real."
Morgan noted that Kopech is "so strong."
"I’ve been with him through this whole thing," she added, while talking to White Sox Talk. "Mental health is a very serious thing and I’m so proud of him."
April 2020: Morgan Posts A Birthday Tribute On IG.
Morgan's most recent IG post about Kopech was her birthday tribute to him in April 2020.
Underneath a professional photo of him tenderly embracing her (which, I might add, looks like the cover for Nicholas Sparks' next epic and timeless love story), she wrote: "Happy Quarantine Birthday Boo" with a black heart.
July 2020: Morgan Offers A Glimpse Into Quarantine Life.
On July 19, Morgan posted a series of scenes from a lakehouse on her Instagram page. In the caption, she wrote: "where we are hiding away from the world." While it's unclear who "we" is referring to, it's possible Kopech was with her; she's shared photos of them by a lake in the past.
July 2020: Morgan Announces She's Pregnant.
Fans were straight-up stunned when Morgan announced via Instagram that she was pregnant on July 24. Her post included video footage from her gender reveal party, which confirmed that she's expecting a baby boy in January. She also included a clip from her sonogram and a photo of her positive pregnancy test taken in late May.
"This little guy has already brought me so much happiness and a feeling of such a greater purpose," she wrote in her IG post. "I cannot wait to meet you!! On a personal note, I have had the blessing of growing up in the public eye having started my acting career at age 6. While this has been incredible for me, I am very much looking forward to giving this little guy some room to grow up outside of the public eye, until he tells me otherwise."
She also wrote that her soon-to-be-son was "made with so much love."
"Thank you God for this blessing," she added. "I’m just so happy & can’t wait to dedicate every day to being the best mommy I can be ♥️."
Notably, Morgan didn't tag or mention her hubby anywhere in her lengthy, emotional post. So, for eagle-eyed fans, that was the first clue something might be up. Just a couple weeks prior, news broke that Kopech had decided not to play for the Chicago White Sox in the 2020 season. White Sox General Manager Rick Hahn told the Chicago Sun-Times that he cited "personal reasons" for opting out. Kopech had not pitched since his elbow injury in September of 2018, which required him to undergo reconstructive surgery.
In a July interview with the Chicago-Sun Times, pitching coach Don Cooper admitted that he's "concerned" about Kopech.
"I don’t know what is going on with Michael, but I know he deals with some anxiety and depression, and my thought is, I sure hope he’s OK," he told the publication. "And I hope he gets to where he needs to be, where he’s feeling good and wants to come back because we will welcome him back with open arms."
July 2020: News Breaks That Kopech Filed For Divorce.
Literally no one was prepared for the bomb that dropped on July 27: Merely three days after Morgan announced her pregnancy, The Chicago Tribune reported that Kopech had filed for divorce on June 19 — about five months after they legally became husband and wife. According to the news outlet, the docs were filed in Morris County, Texas (Kopech's home state) and a hearing date was not listed yet.
Soon after, Morgan's representative confirmed to People that Kopech is the father of her unborn baby.
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