Some get their popularity through their hard work, while some get it through something negative. One such lady who was the ex-wife of Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson is Ashton Meem.
Since their high school days, the lovebirds have been dating, and it did not take long to turn into something meaningful.
Moreover, the couple got married back in 2012 and spent two years together. And, in those times, Ashton got a lot of news coverage as she was the wife of one of the best prospects in the NFL.
Unfortunately, this fairytale story did not have a happy ending like most. The two separate ways, surprisingly, confusing anyone. But what was the purpose behind their divorce, and what happened after that? Let’s find out.
Early Life and Education of Ashton Meem
Ashton Meem was born to her parents, Lang Meem and Molly Meem, on September 6, 1987, in Richmond, Virginia, the United States of America.
The 34-year-old beauty attended St. Catherine High School in her hometown. Her future ex-husband Russel Wilson was also a student of high school.
And it is here where the two coincided with each other and began their eight-year-long relationship. After graduating from high school, Ashton enrolled at the University of Georgia.
But soon after, Meem decided to transfer to North Carolina State University as her boyfriend Russell was playing there.
The Career of Ashton Meem
Having graduated with a degree in communication, it should come as no wonder that Ashton chose to join the advertising industry.
Soon after graduating from college, the Virginia native interned at Lewis Media Partners and McKinney.
After gaining significant experience, Ashton Meem got her first job as an account executive at Richmond-based Morton Consulting in 2011.
Finally, she worked there for some years before moving on and joining the American Family Insurance company. Currently, she works in advertising operations and seems to be very happy with her life.
Net Worth and Income of Ashton Meem
As of 2021, Ashton is supposed to have a considerable net worth of $4 million accumulated mainly through her divorce from NFL star Russel Wilson.
Although Meem herself has some own businesses, she got a massive part of her fortune as a settlement from her divorce from Russel.
Furthermore, Wilson has a net worth of $135 million, which is simply incredible. Thus, it seems that the divorce settlement did not bother the 31-year-old quarterback that much.
Moreover, Russel recently signed a four-year $140 million contract with the Seattle Seahawks in 2019. It also included a record $65 million signing bonus and $107 million in guaranteed money overall.
The NFL star celebrated this happy moment with his wife, Ciara. It did not take much for the clip to go viral online.
Ashton Meem And Russell Wilson’s Marriage
Ashton Meem and Wilson were first introduced as teenagers in the early aughts.
“We met briefly in high school,” Meem told the Richmond Times-Dispatch in the couple’s 2012 wedding announcement. “Then again at a summer party and after that started seeing each other.” The couple started dating and maintained a long-distance relationship while in college. Meem shifted from the University of Georgia to NC State to be closer to Wilson. A year after she graduated, her boyfriend transferred to play football for the University of Wisconsin.
On August 1, 2010, Wilson arranged a surprise stay in the Presidential Suite of an upscale hotel in Cary, North Carolina. There, with their dog Penny as a witness, he got on one knee and proposed to Meem. Her parents waited outside to offer their congratulations, but as Wilson explained, “I had arranged for everyone in the lobby to be quiet.“
The couple was married in the presence of 300 guests on January 14, 2012, at the Country Club of Virginia. However, a honeymoon was put on hold because the ceremony took place between Wilson’s NFL training at the IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida.
Ashton And Russell Got Divorced in 2014
Meem and Wilson had an amazing honeymoon phase. Three months after they tied the knot, Wilson was selected by the Seattle Seahawks in the third round of the 2012 NFL Draft. Two weeks after that, he signed a four-year, $2.99 million contract.
But behind the scenes, their journey ultimately hit a rough patch. In April 2014, Wilson filed for divorce. He provided a statement via The Seattle Times’ Bob Condotta:
“I have made the difficult decision to file for divorce. Clearly, decisions like these don’t come easy. Ashton and I respectfully ask for prayers, understanding and privacy during this difficult time. Moving forward, I will have no further comment on this personal matter.“
Was Divorce Happens Because Ashton Cheat on Russell with Teammate Golden Tate?
Following the announcement of Wilson and Meem’s separation, rumors swirled about the potential causes. One famous theory is that Meem allegedly cheated on her husband with his then-teammate Golden Tate. Another former Seahawk, Percy Harvin, reportedly hit Tate during the week of the 2014 Super Bowl over the matter.
Tate reacted to the allegations in a lengthy personal essay published on The Cauldron. He wrote:
“I did not have an affair with Russell Wilson’s wife, nor did I have anything to do with his divorce. That is laughable for anyone who knows us. His ex-wife, Ashton, is still best friends with my girlfriend. Russell and I were good friends when I was in Seattle, on and off the field — he knows the rumors about me were unfounded, damaging to my reputation, and an attack on my character. Anyone who circulated that rumor was just plain irresponsible.“
He also went on a Twitter spree, writing that “the ignorant minority of people, bloggers and whoever else spreading ridiculous rumors should cut it out.”
To date, no one has fessed up to infidelity, and no proof exists to verify the allegations. The only other party to speak out was Tate’s girlfriend, Elise Pollard, who backed her man in denying the rumor.
“[The story] was made up by a blogger,” she reportedly wrote in an Instagram comment section. “Golden, Russell, Ashton, and I know how stupid it is.“
What Is Ashton Meem Doing Today
Meem has kept a low profile ever since her divorce. Her Twitter account is private, and her Instagram account, in which she still refers to herself as Ashton Wilson, has not been active since 2017. According to her LinkedIn profile, Meem currently works in advertising for an insurance firm in Raleigh, North Carolina.
Unlike other pro-athlete wives (and ex-wives) who try to match the fame of their partners, Meem seems to prefer staying out of the limelight. She reportedly has not remarried yet.
Russell Wilson and Ciara
Many fans were unhappy about the separation between Russell and Ashton; however, soon after, the NFL player struck a chord with pop diva Ciara.
The reason might be the typical heartbreak story they experienced. Both came out of an emotional relationship back in 2014.
While Wilson filed for divorce from his first wife and college sweetheart, Ashton Meem, in April, Ciara broke her engagement with rapper Future in December.
Despite that, it is not clear how and when the two broken-hearted met in the first place.
However, Wilson and Ciara came hand in hand as a couple for the first time at a White House state dinner in honor of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. Without a doubt, their relationship sparked the internet as fans went wild about it.
Wilson talked about their relationship in an interview with “The Rock Church” located in San Digo. He verified their relationship while also announcing their decision to remain celibate until marriage.
“She was on tour, she was traveling, and I was looking at her in the mirror… and she was sitting there and God spoke to me and said, ‘I need you to lead her,’ and so I told her right then and there, what would you do if we took all that extra stuff off the table, and did it Jesus’ way?“
Fortunately, the pop star agreed while telling him the couple could “love each other without that.“
Proposal and Wedding of Russell Wilson and Ciara
After dating for over a year, Russell took their relationship to the next level and proposed to Ciara during their vacation in Seychelles.
Of course, the pop diva sparkled as she said yes. Wilson soon took this to Instagram and posted a video with the caption, “She said yes!“
But before they could spend time as a husband and wife, the two had to deal with Future, Ciara’s ex-fiancé. According to TMZ, the diva believed Future might try to kill Wilson.
Similarly, the American singer also made a legal document against the rapper. She added various threats the rapper made toward Wilson.
In addition, she believed Future’s Instagram post with a gun emoji pointed at football emoji was a reference to Wilson.
The rapper posted it along with his lyrics from the title track “Juice.” It goes- “Tryna f-my baby mama, dog what’s up with you? You gon’ make me get that heat, I’m pulling up on you.”
Despite the unstable situation, Wilson and Ciara tied the knot at Peckforton Castle in Cheshire, England. Their beautiful wedding happened in July 2016, three months after their engagement.
Russell Wilson is currently the father to three of her children, including one from her previous relationship with Future.
The section below has been updated on 1st May 2022
On 28th April 2022, Ashton Meem Photo Went Viral on Internet Again
It’s started with an old picture of Ashton meem & Russel Wilson which is shared by NFL Meme on Twitter with the caption: “In honor of the NFL Draft, may we never forget the night when Russell Wilson’s ex-wife thought she was set for life.”
As soon as the meme goes viral, Twitterati become active and started sharing their opinions. Many of them cracked jokes about the girlfriends & wife relationships of the Present NFL players.
While the tweet went viral, one of the fans says, Poor lady, she is excited for her husband. She takes an unflattering picture and now she gets mocked for infinity by strangers. I don’t wanna get all high and mighty, but is this really how we want to be?
