Heather Rae El Moussa Reflects on “Hard” Marriage to Tarek El Moussa

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Heather Rae El Moussa isn’t flipping out over the woes of marriage.

I was so touched seeing Heather Rae Young celebrate four years of marriage with Tarek El Moussa! Her post was just so sweet, and it really highlighted how beautiful their relationship is, especially considering everything that comes with blending their families together. It’s clear they’ve built something really special.

Heather shared on Instagram on October 23rd that despite the challenges life and marriage sometimes bring, she finds immense beauty in sharing her life with her partner. She acknowledged there will be good times and bad, but expressed gratitude for having her partner by her side.

Heather shared that the most rewarding aspect of her relationship with Tarek—who is a father to Tristan, 2, and Taylor, 15, and Brayden, 10, from his previous marriage to Christina Haack—has been growing and learning together. She believes blending their families gives them both the opportunity to become better people.

I’m so grateful for your inspiration, guidance, and everything you do for our family. You’re incredibly loving, and I love you very much! Happy 4th anniversary, my love. It’s always been you and me.

As Tarek and Heather El Moussa begin a new phase of their marriage, Tarek, age 38, explained why this recent celebration was so meaningful to them.

She explained that the fourth anniversary, often represented by gifts of fruit and flowers, signifies a love that has fully developed and is now producing wonderful results. It’s a celebration of how the best relationships flourish with care, patience, and the happiness that comes from building something that will last.

Tarek and Heather got married in 2021, and Heather has since become close to her stepchildren and Tarek’s ex-wife, Christina. Last month, the whole blended family – including Christina’s son Hudson, age 6 (with her ex, Ant Anstead), and her boyfriend Christopher Larocca – celebrated Tarek and Heather’s daughter Taylor’s 15th birthday together.

And Heather even shared a loving birthday message on Instagram for the teen.

She wrote, “I still can’t believe you’re fifteen! I love you so much and I’m so thankful to be your bonus mom. You’ve become such a mature, kind, and beautiful person. Thank you for loving me back – I always have so much fun with you, and I’m excited to make more memories and have more special days together. I love you!”

Despite some fans questioning her connection with the star of Christina on the Coast, Heather says it hasn’t affected their friendship. She shared on Instagram in July, “It’s amazing how much we’ve grown and most people won’t understand why we’re friends.”

I really value our connection and how we manage to stay positive despite everything going on around us,” she said. “Here’s to you, and I’m so excited to celebrate you! Hugs and kisses.

Keep reading for more on Heather and Tarek’s blended family.

Christina and Tarek welcomed their first child together on Sept. 22, 2010.

Even after their divorce, Christina and her ex-partner continued to raise their daughter together. Christina has often described her daughter as remarkably mature for her age, able to have profound conversations one moment and act like a typical child the next.

She described Taylor as someone who can easily strike up a conversation with anyone, no matter the setting. She also highlighted Taylor’s fun-loving personality, intelligence, athleticism, and consistently positive attitude, noting that Taylor always keeps things interesting.

Christina and Tarek welcomed their second child together on Aug. 20, 2015.

Besides their oldest child, Taylor, Tarek and his ex-wife have continued to raise their son, Brayden, together. Tarek has often described Brayden as a lively and incredibly kind child.

Tarek said his son brings so much joy to his life. He feels incredibly lucky to be a father to both his sons and cherishes watching them grow up, calling it the greatest happiness he could ask for.

Christina began dating Ant, a TV presenter from England, in October 2017, about a year after she and Tarek separated. They publicly confirmed their relationship in January 2018, coinciding with the finalization of Christina’s divorce from Tarek. The couple then married in a winter wedding at their Newport Beach, California home on December 22, 2018.

Christina and Ant are parents to son Hudson, who was born in 2019. Ant also has two children, Amelie and Archie, with his former wife, Louise Storey.

The couple separated in September 2020, less than two years after getting married. Their divorce became official nine months afterward.

Since the split, Ant has moved on with actress Renée Zellweger.

Christina and Ant had a son on September 6, 2019. He weighed 7 pounds, 7 ounces, and was 19.5 inches long at birth.

When Ant and his ex-wife finalized their divorce in June 2021, they agreed to share legal and physical custody of their son, Hudson. However, in April 2022, Ant petitioned the court for sole custody, stating that his ex-wife only spends about nine days each month with their child.

The former couple reached a custody agreement in December, granting them both legal and physical custody of their son, Hudson, according to court records obtained by TopMob News.

Tarek and Heather Rae Young first met on July 4th, 2019, while celebrating on boats that were moored next to each other in Newport Beach, California. Later that month, they were seen kissing on a yacht, and Tarek confirmed their relationship to TopMob News in August, happily stating, “I never thought I’d say this again, but Heather Rae is officially my girlfriend.”

The couple announced their engagement in July 2020 and married on October 23, 2021, in a beautiful outdoor ceremony near Santa Barbara, California.

Heather often describes herself as a “bonus mom” to Tarek’s children, Taylor and Brayden. She’s said that she feels like she already has two kids, explaining that she and Tarek share custody 50% of the time and she loves raising them as if they were her own. She feels very connected to them and enjoys her role in their lives.

Tarek and Heather had a son on January 31, 2023, who weighed 7 pounds and 7 ounces at birth.

I always found it interesting that Tarek was originally going to be named Tristan! Heather explained that Tristan was the intended name, but his parents ultimately decided on Tarek instead.

His middle name is a nod to Heather’s dad.

After divorcing her second husband, Ant, Christina started seeing Josh in 2021. They announced their relationship in July, saying they’d already been dating for several months.

The Flip or Flop star says she met Josh, a real estate agent, last spring after a period of personal growth. She explains she was feeling calm and centered, having stepped away from social media, worked with a spiritual coach, and even tried a Bufo toad ceremony to help her “reset” her mind.

Christina and Josh got engaged that September and tied the knot on Oct. 6, 2021.

The couple’s wedding date remained private until Josh filed for divorce on July 15, 2024, stating they had differences that couldn’t be resolved.

The pair finalized their divorce in August 2025.

Before the July 11, 2024 episode of Christina on the Coast featured the renovation of her childhood home, Christina had rarely talked about her family history, mostly just sharing photos of her parents as grandparents.

She mentioned in a 2019 Instagram post that their families—hers and Tarek’s—all enjoy watching Taylor perform in her school’s yearly Christmas concert together.

She shared that several people commented on how well this arrangement was working, noting that many divorced parents – including her ex-husband Tarek’s parents – do the same thing, and it really makes things simpler for everyone. She also added that their daughter Taylor gets really excited when she sees them all together supporting her.

While Josh became well-known through his relationship with Christina, his sisters had already achieved fame in the early 2000s.

Stacie, known to some viewers as “Stacie the Bartender,” gained recognition as the object of Spencer Pratt’s attention on The Hills. She also made appearances on Vanderpump Rules, including a memorable role as a bridesmaid in Scheana Shay’s wedding during season three.

Jessica also appeared on several reality TV shows, including The Hills and various series featuring Kendra Wilkinson, such as The Girls Next Door, Kendra, Kendra on Top, and Kendra Sells Hollywood, to support her close friend.

 

Angelique, Tarek’s older sister, owns Latitude 33 Hair Artistry in Anaheim, California. She bought a house that Tarek and Christina had renovated on their show, Flip or Flop, back in 2014, and then filmed a web series with Tarek, the HGTV host, in 2019.

Tarek El Moussa’s mother, Dominique, is divorced from his father, whom she and Tarek have never publicly identified. She is now married to Robert, who often expresses his love for her on Instagram.

Tarek has always kept his father’s identity private, but in a Facebook post from November 2017, he mentioned his ‘old man’ was celebrating his 70th birthday.

He shared a heartwarming message about his father, emphasizing the profound impact a dad can have on his children’s lives. He expressed gratitude for his own father’s encouragement and belief in him, saying he wouldn’t be where he is today without that support. He plans to share the valuable lessons he learned from his father with his own children, continuing the cycle of guidance and inspiration.

Tarek shared with Country Living that his father grew up Catholic in Lebanon and Egypt. His parents met in Europe when they were both teenagers; his mother is originally from Belgium.

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2025-10-24 21:48