Family wasn’t always picture-perfect for Mikayla Matthews. Her parents, Lynda Coombs and Richard Matthews, divorced when she was young. At 9 or 10, she moved with her mom from California to Utah.
By 15, her home life hit another rough patch. As she shared with Josie Van Dyke on the Weekly Trash podcast, beefing with her mom’s boyfriend pushed her to make a bold choice – living with her older sisters in Orem, Utah.
This move led to a life-changing encounter. Through her sister’s friend, she met Jace Terry, her future husband. Their connection was instant, and within a month, 16-year-old Mikayla was pregnant. Jace, who was 21 at the time, thought she was 17 or 18, unaware of her true age.
Their relationship didn’t stay under the radar for long. People online started talking, bringing up questions about Utah’s consent laws. The state says you’ve got to be 18, but there’s this thing called the Romeo and Juliet law. It’s there to protect young couples like Mikayla and Jace from getting into serious trouble. If you’re 16 or 17, you can legally consent to be with someone up to 7 years older than you.
On July 3, 2017, just four months after her 17th birthday, she welcomed their first child, Beckham. The young couple then decided to marry, with the ceremony taking place in Hawaii, planned by Jace’s mom who encouraged the union due to her religious beliefs.
Mikayla was blown away by Jace’s big family – 14 siblings all close and loving. It was worlds apart from how she grew up. Inspired by her hubby’s mother’s dedication to her dozens of grandchildren, she found herself wanting to create a big family of her own. Haven joined them during a trip to China in 2019, followed by Tommy in 2021.
As her family grew, so did Matthews’ online presence. She began sharing her journey as a young mom on TikTok in late 2019, quickly gaining a following with her honest takes on parenting. Now, she is set to share more of her story on Hulu’s The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives, premiering in September 2024.
Overcoming Breast Implant Illness and Reclaiming Her Life as a Mom
Mikayla, the TikTok mom soon to make her reality TV debut, recently opened up about a health battle that was affecting her ability to be the parent she wanted to be. In a heartfelt 2023 post, she revealed her struggle with breast implant illness.
“With my job being mainly in front of a camera, the toll it has taken on my mental health the last year has been very hard to say the least,” she wrote. She further added,
It’s been difficult to show up in relationships, and I haven’t been able to be the best mom I know I am. Being in pain 24/7 and getting only 2-4 hours of sleep every night has been unbearable.
Despite initial hesitation, Mikayla chose to share her story, posting, “I’m embarrassed to post this, but at the same time, I feel empowered to show people they’re not alone 🤎🫶🏼 ily.”
Determined to regain her health, she opted for breast implant removal and kept her followers updated throughout her recovery. Along the way, Mikayla expressed deep gratitude for the support she received.
Her husband Jace played a crucial role in her recovery, with Mikayla noting, “He’s been my absolute rock through all of this, picking me up from my lowest points and continuing to be the best dad every day.“
