Originally posted Monday, July 15, 2018 by RODNEY HO/rho@ajc.com on his AJC Radio & TV Talk blog
This was a rocky season for both Atlanta women featured on TLC’s “90 Day Fiance: Happily Ever After?”
For Molly Hopkins, first known in reality world as part of the Lifetime reality show "Double Divas," her whirlwind romance with a much younger Dominican Republican bartender resulted in marriage - then divorce.
She fell head over heels in love with the much younger Luis Mendez and brought him to Woodstock on a K-1 Visa. But Luis did not adjust well to a world so far removed from his country. And he struggled to take responsibility for Mollie's two daughters, especially her teen daughter Olivia. He accused her of witchcraft.
He could not work and clashed constantly with Olivia. In the end, he just left and Mollie filed for divorce. She has repeatedly said on the show and during the reunion show that she loved Luis but he became a different person once he arrived stateside. In the end, he didn’t even bother showing up for the reunion show. Another cast member tried to reach him but landed in voicemail.
Chantel Everett fell for Pedro Jimenez from the Dominican Republic more than two years ago, first remotely, then in person.
But in their case, in-law issues saddled the couple. After he arrived on a K-1 Visa, Everett’s family distrusted Pedro, thinking he was getting married to Chantel to get U.S. citizenship and help his family out financially. (It didn’t help that Chantel initially lied about his status.)
A visit to Pedro's family in the Dominican Republic did not help as both sides felt disrespected. After Chantel and Pedro officially married, things did not get better. When Pedro's sister visited stateside, she came to dinner with Chantel's family. It quickly devolved into arguments where Chantel's brother River knocked a light into Pedro's head and a big brawl ensued.
Pedro has wanted his relationship to Chantel to focus on their love with each other. Chantel is pained now not to be able to share her relationship with Pedro with her formerly close-knit family. As of the reunion show, the two remain together.
The second part of the reunion specials will air next Sunday night, July 29 at 8 p.m.
Credit: Rodney Ho
Credit: Rodney Ho
