Part two of this season’s “90 Day Fiancé” tell-all, which aired Sunday on TLC, took an unexpectedly emotional turn when cast member Debby revealed that her mother is manic depressive, prompting tears from nearly the entire cast.
The moment came during a conversation about Mallorie’s reasons for not wanting children with her husband, Rasit, who has said he desperately wants kids. Mallorie has cited never having a good example of a healthy relationship with her own parents.
Debby, a mother to daughter Devin and son Caden, spoke up as her husband Mido comforted her. “I did not have what most kids dream of as a mom,” she said, choking back tears.
“My mom was very unhealthy, mentally manic depressive, but I can tell you from my experience of going through that life, and how hollow it makes you feel, when your kids come — it heals all that,” Debby continued. “It’s the only thing that brought me peace, was that I was going to give my children …”
Mallorie finished the thought: “The life you didn’t have.”
Debby went on, still crying: “And those little feet and those little fingers, and those little eyes, when they recognize you, all that sadness goes away. It heals you like nothing else does.”
Mallorie was openly crying by that point, and fellow cast member Marissa also broke down. Marissa, who has two sons from a previous marriage, is 45 and doubts she can give her 32-year-old husband, Edward, children even though he wants them.
“Oh, when I heard her, I was like, ‘I’m taking that away from him.’ And he doesn’t get to experience that. Because he didn’t have the best childhood growing up either.”
Cast members Paula and Caty were also visibly emotional. When host Shaun Robinson asked Edward how he felt, he began crying too. “This is so hard,” he said, as Rasit wiped his own face. “It’s not fair.” Edward eventually walked off stage, saying, “I feel like s—t.”
A preview of next week’s episode shows Rasit remarking, “I think he want to be a dad more than me.” Backstage, Edward tells Marissa, “I really want a kid,” and she responds through tears, “It feels so horrible, like I’m crushing your dreams.”
“90 Day Fiancé” airs Sundays at 8 p.m. ET/PT on TLC.
