RHOA’s Kandi Burruss Details Being ‘Emotionally Broken’ Amid Todd Tucker Divorce: ‘I Internalize’ 

Kandi Burruss says she tried to hide her “inner stress and sadness” amid her split from estranged husband Todd Tucker.

Burruss, 49, posted a Wednesday, December 3, Instagram Reel that displayed photos of her smiling with friends and family. However, her caption revealed that, privately, she was battling darker times. 

“This is what I look like when I’m going through something,” the Real Housewives of Atlanta alum wrote. “I show up for my family, I show up for my friends, I show up to handle my business, & I show up with a smile all while on the inside I’m emotionally broken.”

She continued, “In every pic of this video I was internally dealing with something life changing that most of the people in the pics with me had no clue of my inner stress & sadness. This is not being fake. This is just how I deal with things. I internalize and deal with it alone.”

In conclusion, Burruss wrote: “I am the poster child for the saying ‘check on your strong friend because you never know what they are going through.’ I normally don’t like to share stuff like this but I was listening to this old song that I wrote years ago & felt like it perfectly described how I feel.”

That song, which features the lyrics “Can’t keep running away, keep running away, from all the pain,” is the soundtrack of Burruss’ post. 

Burruss confirmed in a November 21 statement to Us Weekly that she and Tucker, 52, had called it quits after 11 years of marriage. The singer-songwriter and former reality star filed divorce papers the same day.

As Us first reported, Tucker filed court docs on November 26 demanding primary custody of their two children: Ace, 9, and Blaze, 6. Afterward, Burruss — who had initially asked for joint custody — changed her request to sole custody. (Burruss is also mom to daughter Riley, 23, from a previous relationship.)

“After deep thought and a lot of prayer, I’ve made the decision to move forward with a divorce,” Burruss stated last month. “This is a difficult and emotional time, but my focus remains on protecting my peace, being the best mother I can be, and co-parenting with love and respect. I’m stepping into a new chapter pouring into my work, my family and my own growth. I’m grateful to everyone who supported us throughout the years, and I ask for privacy, grace and understanding as we navigate this transition with our family.”

Burruss further addressed the breakup during an Amazon Live broadcast on November 24, confessing that it had been “brewing for a while.”

At the time, she said, “I’m gonna be very honest with you, I am up and down. Obviously, going through a divorce is definitely not the easiest thing. Sometimes you’re cool, you’re moving, you’re mixing, you’re moving, you’re hanging out with friends.”

Three days later, Burruss documented her family’s Thanksgiving via Instagram and told her followers that Tucker “came earlier to eat with us, but he wasn’t there for the pic. He was not left out or anything like that.”