Apparently, the breakup between fitness model Kayla Nicole and Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce has really affected the 29-year-old, who’s been sincere about the healing she had to do since the split and the ensuing 24-7 media firestorm that his new relationship with pop star Taylor Swift has created.
The two first started dating in 2017 and officially called it quits in May 2022. Now, with Kelce and Swift becoming a daily talking point in popular culture, Nicole has revealed her treatment by online trolls and the way she’s healed.
“Buckle the f**k up, sweetie,” Nicole said to People. “You thought the worst had already come, but buckle up and take all of the tools right now and put them in your bag because you’re going to need them.”
Nicole released a video on social media that went viral of her reading a letter to Black women. Through personal revelations, she revealed how “unprotected” she felt as people attacked her online and dealt a blow to her confidence based on the breakup and Kelce’s new higher-profile relationship.
Full Transparency
“Just full transparency, I went through this major breakup, major life change, and I had lost a substantial amount of weight within a very short amount of time,” Nicole continued to People. “I wasn’t sleeping, I wasn’t eating. I was really abusing melatonin to sleep at night.”
However, even though she “was still working out” after the breakup, she couldn’t accept the positive feedback from her social media followers due to the anxiety and depression she was feeling.
The Therapy Route
“I’m posting content, and people are like, ‘You look so good. Tell us your tricks. You look amazing.’ And I’m like, ‘I’m miserable. I’m miserable. I’m depressed,’ ” Nicole continued. “My abs were amazing, I had a six-pack. And it was like, ‘I had never felt so bad in my life.’ “
“So, I started going to therapy and quickly realized, okay, it’s one thing to be physically fit, but it’s another thing to be mentally fit. You could be in the best shape of your life, but mentally, if you are not a healthy person, it’s not going to feel good.”
Kayla Nicole is a test case of what it is like to date a white male star while Black. Although her situation is unique based on the fans’ response to Taylor Swift, her vulnerability adds context to the spotlight that comes with a high-profile relationship.
