Married At First Sight season 5 was filmed in 2016, aired in 2017, and featured couples from Chicago, but some marriages didn’t last. The three couples, paired by a panel of experienced matchmakers, were in for the experiences of their lives as they found out whether they were compatible with strangers. The first seven seasons of Married at First Sight featured three couples, while seasons 8 and 9 featured four – now, five duos is the norm. While the current MAFS season 17 is finishing up airing, it’s time to revisit the couples from season 5.
While couples regularly last the duration of a season, a smaller percentage can survive long-term once the cameras stop rolling. All three Married at First Sight season 5 couples said yes to each other on Decision Day. But season 5 ended over seven years ago, giving couples plenty of time in the “real” world, trying to make their relationships last. The three couples from the season have all gone on different paths since their time on reality TV ended.
Danielle DeGroot And Cody Knapek
Danielle and Cody seemed like a great pair. Danielle’s career as a dietitian, and Cody’s as a gym owner and trainer, meshed perfectly, and the two generally seemed to be happy with one another. They enjoyed spending time together. As is the case with nearly every romantic relationship, the two did encounter some difficulties (via Lifetime.) They had difficulty elevating their relationship from good friends to lovers. Danielle had hesitation about consummating the marriage. Still, they agreed to continue as husband and wife on Decision Day, looking to take the next step in their journey together.
Unfortunately, Danielle and Cody became one of the MAFS couples who broke up after filming ended for their season. Their marriage lasted one year, and at the reunion, Danielle said she had still not fallen for her husband. However, their split was a cordial separation. Their joint statement also said how the two tried to make it work out of respect for the sanctity of marriage, and their friendship, but ultimately decided that the best decision for their individual happiness would be to file for divorce.
“After a year of marriage, and much thought and consideration, we are deeply saddened to announce that we’ve decided to go our separate ways. We remain the closest of friends, and have enjoyed sharing our lives with our Married at First Sight family.”
Where Are Danielle & Cody Now?
Cody deleted his Instagram but has a Twitter. While his Twitter (now X) isn’t currently active, the last major update he gave Married at First Sight fans was the announcement that he got engaged.
It’s unclear if the now-33-year-old and his fiancée went through with their wedding, and his fiancée’s identity is still unknown.
If Cody were to get back on social media, fans could find out if he tied the knot, and whether he tried to follow Danielle.
As for Danielle, she moved from Chicago to Nashville, Tennessee, and has been dating a new man, tattoo artist Stevie, who goes by the handle @beermosa on Instagram. While the pair don’t have any pictures together on Instagram, they were most recently tagged in a photo together from February 8, 2024 (via @thegrayhall.) Danielle is still a Dietitian and “Energy Worker” into “Plant Medicine,” and enjoys “Yoga Retreats | Reiki | Live Music | Travel” via her Instagram bio. Danielle also likes to post lingerie and swimsuit content to her page. It’s unclear if she and Cody maintain a friendship at this point.
Sheila Downs And Nate Duhon
Sheila and Nate had a marriage filled with trials and tribulations on Married at First Sight season 5 (via Lifetime.) While they looked excited about starting this new chapter of their lives on their wedding day, that feeling quickly changed, as Nate’s family strongly disapproved of his appearance on the show. Sheila felt ostracized by her new husband’s family, as the two would often bicker, leading to relationship troubles. Still, they did have some memorable moments between the negative ones. These good memories led the two to continue as a couple past Decision Day, believing they could fix their issues.
Sadly, the couple’s problems persisted, and they called it quits in November 2017. Both made public statements on social media about it, and rumors instantly began to swirl that Nate was unfaithful to his wife. He denied these allegations but confirmed their impending divorce.
“Just got a call from the woman who’s been sleeping with my husband…the same woman who he called on the honeymoon,” Sheila tweeted.
Nathan responded by defending, “Infidelity was not a reason [for the divorce, nor did I ever admit such a thing.”. While their short Married At First Sight union did continue for a few months after the season ended, a report from People illustrated that Sheila claimed she knew Nate was seeing other women the whole time. Their messy pairing made for some good reality TV moments, and the fallout from their split was even more entertaining, albeit unfortunate. Since a lot of ugliness happened between the pair during and after the season, it’s likely they will never be in each other’s lives in any capacity going forward.
Sheila & Nate Are Both Thriving After MAFS Season 5
After having their intimate moments broadcast to millions on TV, Sheila and Nate have taken entirely different approaches to presenting themselves on social media. Nate is active on social media, showing off his Duey Juice liquor brand and his son, born in December 2022. Nate also proposed to the mother of his child on March 19, 2024, the day of his 33rd birthday. He surprised his bride-to-be by having her think the party he threw was for his birthday. Nathan still touts his Married at First Sight season 5 accolade in his Instagram bio.
Sheila is happily remarried, tying the knot with Kurt Michael in September 2023. She opts not to comment on her time on Married At First Sight and has fully moved on from the experience. She doesn’t even credit her MAFS appearance in her Instagram bio. Sheila posts a lot of religious content on her Instagram page and she and Nathan do not follow each other.
Ashley Petta And Anthony D’Amico
Ashley and Anthony were a model for how Married At First Sight truly can create a loving couple. The two instantly clicked, showing chemistry as if they’d known each other for years. They were also real on camera, as they did have their disagreements and arguments, but they constantly communicated and smoothed things over in the end. The two lovebirds agreed to continue their marriage on Decision Day, with Anthony confessing his love to Ashley by saying “I love you” for the first time.
Ashley and Anthony became one of the best and most iconic couples in MAFS history, giving fans hope that they would stick together long-term. The picture-perfect couple proved their love wasn’t just for the cameras, as they remain married in 2024. They are the only couple from their season who lasted more than a year. They acknowledged on the show that they had some personality differences that could lead to clashes or disagreements, but as long as they communicated calmly and respectfully, they were able to resolve things and move forward. They have done just that, as their bond remains strong as ever.
What’s The Latest On Ashley & Anthony?
In seven years, they have doubled the size of their family. They welcomed two daughters, Mila Rose and Vaeda Marie, in January 2019 and February 2021, respectively. Both keep active presences on Instagram, with Anthony‘s account having pictures dedicated to working out, traveling, cooking, and showing love to his wife and daughters. Ashley‘s account contains similar types of posts, but with a higher percentage of them being about their beautiful Married At First Sight family.
Ashley is a stay-at-home mom who addresses the flak people give her for choosing to fill that role. She and Anthony both love posting family photos, as well as pictures and videos from dates and other kinds of “couple time.” They also add posts solely about themselves. They are really a Married at First Sight success story. Only one couple has stayed together in the last four seasons, so Ashley and Anthony prove how rare a perfect match from the show is.
