From Heartbreak to Holiday Bliss: Ainsley Earhardt’s Journey to Engagement with Sean Hannity
In a story that blends faith, resilience, and romance, Fox News star Ainsley Earhardt, 48, has found love again with fellow network icon Sean Hannity, 63. The couple announced their engagement just after Christmas 2024, following a surprise proposal in a Florida church adorned with twinkling holiday lights. What makes this union particularly poignant is Earhardt’s path to it—one marked by personal loss, divorce, and unwavering determination.
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Earhardt, the beloved co-host of Fox & Friends, wakes America each morning with her signature warmth—often called the “morning sunshine” by fans and colleagues alike. Her day begins at 3:30 a.m., with the show wrapping by around 9:30 a.m. As she leaves the studio in New York City, her phone rings with a familiar greeting: “Sunshine!” It’s Hannity, the prime-time powerhouse, calling to brighten her day.
Their romance, which began quietly around 2020 after both emerged from long marriages, culminated in a deeply spiritual moment. Hannity proposed at their home church in Florida during the Christmas season. Earhardt later shared on Fox & Friends that she thought they were heading to a meeting when they arrived at the church early one morning. Alone in the sanctuary, beautifully decorated for the holidays, they reflected on their lives before Hannity led her to the altar and got down on one knee.
“We are overjoyed and so thankful to our families for all of their love and support,” the couple said in a statement. They emphasized their shared faith as the foundation of their bond, calling the church the “perfect place” for the proposal. Their children—from previous marriages—gave their full blessing, reportedly “couldn’t be happier.”
Earhardt’s road to this joy has not been easy. Born in Spartanburg, South Carolina, on September 20, 1976, she grew up in a modest, faith-centered family. As a child, she moved to Charlotte, North Carolina, instilling in her a strong work ethic and determination never to settle for unhappiness. She started her career in local news, working as a reporter and anchor in Columbia, South Carolina, before joining Fox News in 2007.
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Her personal life saw challenges early on. Married first to Kevin McKinney in 2005, the union ended in divorce by 2009. In 2012, she wed Will Proctor, a former Clemson quarterback, and welcomed daughter Hayden Dubose Proctor in November 2015. But by 2018, amid rumors, the marriage dissolved, finalized in 2019. Earhardt has spoken candidly about the pain, yet focused on co-parenting and modeling a positive life for Hayden, now 9.
Adding to her trials was the loss of her mother, Dale Earhardt, who passed away in 2022 after suffering a severe stroke in 2018. Earhardt has credited her mother’s strength and faith as guiding forces.
As a single mother, Earhardt balanced her demanding schedule—early mornings on air—with raising Hayden in New York. She splits time between a Park Avenue apartment and visits to Palm Beach, where Hannity resides full-time. Despite the long-distance setup (over 1,000 miles), the couple makes it work, seeing each other every weekend. Earhardt has no plans to relocate, prioritizing her daughter’s school and her role on Fox & Friends.
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Hannity, a Fox News veteran since 1996, shares two adult children with ex-wife Jill Rhodes, divorced in 2019 after separating earlier. Like Earhardt, he values family and faith.
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No wedding date has been set, but sources say it will be intimate. For Earhardt, this engagement represents redemption—a vow, shaped by past pain, to build a happy home rooted in love and God.
From local reporter to national treasure, from heartbreak to holiday proposal, Ainsley Earhardt’s story inspires: Sunshine often follows the storm.
