Tyler Francis and Ashley Adionser seemed to be one of the most drama-free, wholesome couples in “Love Is Blind” history for the majority of Season 7.
Then, Tyler dropped shocking news on his fiancée just two weeks before they were set to walk down the aisle.
Tyler revealed he previously fathered three children as a sperm donor, leaving Ashley to decide if she could move forward with their relationship.
What happened next and where does the couple stand today? Let’s revisit Ashley and Tyler’s "Love Is Blind" journey.
What Tyler and Ashley said about their relationship in an interview
Sparks flew when Ashley, a 32-year-old marketing director, and Tyler, a 34-year-old account manager, started talking in the dating pods.
The duo quickly bonded over their commitment to spirituality and their love of food (and Tyler’s willingness to do his fair share of the cooking). Tyler described Ashley as a 12 out of 10 while talking with his male castmates. She called him a rare “unicorn.”
“Ashley was my first date, and it was a feeling of safety that I got from her that I’ve never felt,” Tyler told TODAY.com in an interview.
Ashley explained why she felt confident about her relationship with Tyler from the start.
“I think that I was just willing to take a risk and to lead with feelings over logic this time, which is not something I naturally do. And honestly, it’s weird, because when you date in the pods, it doesn’t feel like a crush. You feel deeply and madly in love in an insane amount of time,” she told TODAY.com.
Ashley said she thought she was “crazy” at one point and questioned, “How is this happening?”
“Because I was a little bit of a skeptic. But I just felt true to myself. I felt true to him. I felt like he was somebody that I would be happy to be engaged to,” she said.
When asked why he felt certain that his relationship with Ashley would work out, Tyler offered the following response.
“It was just a feeling that I’ve never felt before in my life. From day one, it was Ashley. It was a feeling that I’ve constantly kept feeling with her. It was just safe. It was warm. It felt like the most love I’ve ever experienced,” he said.
How did they address Tyler’s kids?
The couple seemed destined to say “I do” when they moved in together and their relationship went smoothly. Tyler earned the seal of approval from Ashley’s father, who gave him his blessing to marry his daughter.
Things got tricky when Tyler revealed that he’d fathered three children, however.
In the dating pods, Tyler revealed that he wanted a big family. Throughout the experiment, the couple seemed to be on the same page about their desire for children and the timing for when to start a family.
Then, in Episode 9, Ashley learned that Tyler was already a father. Tyler said he fathered three children as a sperm donor to a friend but wasn’t actively involved in their lives.
Ashley had mixed feelings to the surprise.
“I just can’t wrap my mind around it without even considering your past at all. We talked about kids every day. It’s not your kid, kids. But they are your kids, and it’s with someone that you know,” she said.
“I’m not upset by you trying to help a couple have kids,” she said. “I think that’s admirable in certain ways. But the issue comes in with me feeling like I was not getting the full picture of you, and once you’re not given the full picture of something, it’s hard to not question everything. Me being a single woman before this, to come in this scenario, to fall in love with a guy who has three sperm donor babies, is a lot to absorb and the wedding is in, like, two weeks.”
Tyler patiently listened to his fiancé’s perspective then spoke.
“I’m not asking for forgiveness. I’m just asking for a chance. I would love to marry you,” he said.
After taking some time to think it through, Ashley decided that she was willing to move forward with their relationship.
“I feel like I want you in my life no matter what. It’s not what I intended for myself, but I feel like it’s worth the reward, which is you,” she told Tyler.
Bri Thomas, the mother of Tyler's children, shared conflicting details in a series of five videos she posted to Instagram on Oct. 20.
Thomas confirmed that Tyler offered to help her and her ex-wife conceive a child. When the couple split, Tyler offered to help raise their son, per Thomas.
The two other children, who are twins, were later conceived through "natural, unplanned intercourse with absolutely no complexities surrounding parentage," she said.
While Thomas said she never "dated" Tyler, she did say that they were "co-parenting" their three children before he started filming "Love Is Blind."
Thomas said she and Tyler are currently involved in custody-related legal proceedings.
TODAY.com obtained a Baltimore court case docket that shared details about a January 2024 custody case between Thomas and Tyler. The case was first filed in 2021 and later reopened with a petition for contempt.
TODAY.com has contacted Thomas and Tyler for comment.
Did Ashley and Tyler get married in the ‘Love Is Blind’ finale?
On the day of their wedding, Tyler reflected on his love for Ashley in a confessional interview, calling her “my best friend” and “soulmate.”
“She’s a great person in general. She’s the most beautiful person in the world to me. (I) can’t wait to spend the rest of my life with her. Ashley is everything,” he said.
While getting her hair and makeup done, Ashley described her bond with Tyler to her friends.
“I like that I found someone that loves as hard as I do. I feel safe. The protecting physically is cool, but I feel protected emotionally, which is the most vulnerable part of myself that I don’t share with everyone,” she said.
When the moment of truth arrived, the couple exchanged romantic vows. Tyler was first to say “I do,” followed by Ashley.
At their reception, the couple answered the looming question: Is love truly blind?
“Love is blind. Love is blind for me, I’ll say it again. I have my person and my best friend,” Tyler said.
“I wouldn’t have found a love like this if I didn’t do this experiment and look at someone for who they are on the inside,” Ashley noted.
Are Ashley and Tyler still together now?
The couple is expected to share details about their relationship at the reunion on Oct. 30.
