CNN
—
When Tareasa “Reesa Teesa” Johnson shared on TikTok the story of what she says was a wedding gone horribly unsuitable, she hoped to assist others who may be ignoring pink flags of their relationships.
Revisiting her ache and revealing a story which may make others query her judgment, Johnson mentioned, could be value it if it helped a minimum of one particular person. Her eight-hour saga of heartache, shared in additional than 50 compelling, 5 to 10-minute TikTok increments, ended up capturing the fascination of tens of millions.
So, has it been value it?
“It has,” Johnson instructed CNN in an interview this week. “I’ve had loads of messages from individuals who have been telling me ‘You recognize, I went by means of one thing very related. Your story has helped me make choices in my very own relationship.’ So, I positively would say the overwhelming assist has positively made this value it.”
Titled “Who TF Did I Marry,”Johnson in her sequence of posts recounted what she says was her discovery that her former husband was not the person she thought he was.
As she tells it, the previous couple met on a relationship app shortly earlier than the pandemic, moved in collectively to quarantine, married in 2021 and cut up six months later.
Johnson recognized her ex solely as “Legion,” however he has gone public beneath his actual identify, Jerome McCoy, and has refuted her story in interviews with each TMZ and Simply Wavy on YouTube.
McCoy, when reached by CNN over the telephone, claimed Johnson was is a girl scorned who was untrue of their relationship and is searching for to reap fame and fortune from their temporary marriage.
“I left her as a result of she cheated. It was a easy divorce. It was nothing particular about it,” he instructed CNN.
McCoy additionally claimed to have just lately filed a defamation lawsuit towards Johnson in Philadelphia. When requested why he would file swimsuit in Pennsylvania provided that Johnson lives in Georgia, he defined his attorneys are in Philadelphia and that the swimsuit had been filed Monday in Clayton County, Georgia.
CNN was unable to find a lawsuit filed by him towards Johnson in Clayton County court docket data.
Johnson refutes McCoy’s claims of her being untrue throughout their marriage and maintains her story is true. The previous couple filed for a wedding license in December 2020, married in January 2021 and have been divorced in August 2021, in response to public data obtained by CNN.
Johnson described the best way she shared her story as half purge, half confessional. When requested why she selected TikTok because the platform to publish her relationship diary, Johnson instructed CNN it was what she had out there.
“I used to be already on TikTok,” she defined. “I had beforehand been on Fb, however I wasn’t utilizing Instagram that a lot and I don’t have a YouTube web page.”
The recognition of her posts has shocked her.
“I had no thought it was going to show into what it became. I actually thought loads of issues have been working towards me,” she mentioned. “Primary, I didn’t have any filter or lights or any, you understand, particular gear. Quantity two is that they have been 10-minute movies.”
Johnson’s vulnerability, together with the extremely relatable expertise of affection gone unsuitable appear to resonate with viewers all of the extra.
Since she began posting her story final month, Johnson has been caught up in a whirlwind of media appearances, signed with expertise company CAA and even captured the eye of some celebrities, like “Ghosts” star Danielle Pinnock publicly advocating on social media to play Johnson in a film or TV sequence.
One of many individuals who says she had a entrance row seat to Johnson’s former relationship instructed CNN she is pleased with Johnson for going public.
Amber Steele is a Georgia-based relator who says she labored with Johnson and her then husband to try to discover a residence for them to purchase.
In her sequence, Johnson credit Steele with serving to to wake her as much as potential pink flags.
Steele instructed CNN that Johnson instructed the reality because it utilized to her interactions with the couple and mentioned, “It simply felt off with him (McCoy) straight out of the gate.”
“They have been taking a look at costly homes, so, you understand, you attempt to make the deal work as an actual property agent. And so we checked out that first home and – Tareasa and I’ve laughed about this now – the place the alarm was simply blaring and we had a tough time getting in contact with the proprietor to get it turned off,” mentioned Steele, who added she remembers displaying the couple 4 or 5 houses to doubtlessly purchase. “We had to have a look at that first residence with the alarm system going loopy. And I believed we must always have recognized then. That was our omen.”
McCoy instructed CNN he recalled assembly Steele briefly however not touring houses along with her.
Steele isn’t on TikTok, however mentioned Johnson referred to as her two weeks in the past to let her know the story had turn into fairly widespread. The agent gave Johnson permission to share her identify and picture along with her followers.
The true property agent has since watched the sequence and mentioned Johnson was profitable in her objective of imparting, “If one thing don’t really feel proper, don’t ignore it. Test it out.”
“I feel individuals simply type of acquired wrapped up in it and the drama of it,” Steele mentioned. “I’m comfortable for her and I’m pleased with her for the best way that she put it collectively and put it on the market.”