Mary Kay Letourneau and Vili Fualaau ‘did everything they could to keep the family intact’
THE late Mary Kay Letourneau and her former student-turned-ex-husband Vili Fualaau did everything they could to keep their family together, a source has revealed.
The ex-Seattle middle school teacher was convicted of raping her sixth-grade student Fualaau in 1997, before they married, had kids together, and divorced last year.
Letourneau, 58, made global headlines when it was discovered that, as a married 34-year-old with four kids, she’d had sex with her young student.
A source revealed how the couple were determined to make it work before Letourneau lost her cancer battle on Monday surrounded by loved ones.
"Everyone’s hearts are very heavy at the moment," the source said. "I believe she and her loved ones were spending every minute of every moment cherishing time together.
"I do know that they both loved and adored each other and did everything they could to keep the family intact."
The comments come after Letourneau's attorney David Gehrke revealed that she had 24-hour care from the former student she bedded, wedded, and then divorced in 2019.
"Evidence[d] by him coming back up here and being with her and by her side almost non stop for the last couple of months, they still obviously loved each other, and she would’ve done the same for him if he was the one who had cancer," Gehrke told Q13 News.
On Wednesday, the source recalled the former teacher's beautiful smile and described her as "an incredibly strong person she had to be through all of everything."
"She and I shared a very special bond and friendship," the source told The Sun. "There was LOVE always. Probably unconventional again.
"We valued and respected each other," the source continued. "She was a wonderful person and I feel so blessed to have known her."
But the source also cautioned people about posting "insensitive comments" in the wake of the former educator's death this week, despite the controversial relationship she had with Fualaau.
"She does leave behind six children and two grandchildren," the source said. "As unconventional as the relationship started, it was real and they lived a loving life.
"It’s time to let children move on in their adult live’s without reading or hearing persecution from strangers."
In 2018, Letourneau likened the coverage of their relationship to "media carnage," "road kill," and "blood" on the A&E special "Autobiography."
The disgraced teacher also claimed she wasn't aware it was illegal to bed a child at the time.
Fualaau said he dropped out of school, battled depression and alcoholism after their relationship came to light, admitting he was "surprised I'm still alive today.
In February, 1997, Letourneau's husband Steve found love letters between her and Fualaau after the pair first started having sex the previous summer.
He confronted the troubled Samoan boy from a broken home and demanded that he end the relationship or he would tell his parents.
But when a relative informed the school authorities, Letourneau was arrested on statutory rape charges and her husband later filed for divorce.
Steve received full custody of their four children, moved the family to Alaska, and went on to remarry.
Letourneau is survived by two daughters with Fualaau, Georgia and Audrey, as well as the four kids she shared with Steve, Jacqueline, Mary Claire, Nicholas and Steven Jr.
After her conviction and imprisonment in 1997, Letourneau married Fualaau in 2005 but he filed for a separation on May 9, 2017. The couple divorced last August.
Letourneau's son, Steven Jr, shared a statement with NBC News on behalf of the Fualaau and Letourneau families.
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“We are deeply saddened to share the very difficult news that our beloved Mary passed away peacefully on July 6th 2020 after a six month battle since being diagnosed with stage IV, or metastatic, cancer," he wrote, saying his mom "fought tirelessly against this terrible disease."
"It is in that spirit that we ask for privacy and respect for our desire to focus on the road ahead for all of us who make up Mary’s collective family," her son continued.
"We ask that our boundaries and need for privacy be honored with continued kindness and understanding."
