An unexpected photograph from the past has given Shayanna Jenkins an opportunity to reflect on the relationship she once shared with Aaron Hernandez, the former New England Patriots tight end whose life ended in tragedy in 2017.
Jenkins posted the image to her Instagram Story on Monday, showing the couple enjoying an outdoor gathering during their years together. Hernandez appeared with his foot in a protective boot, resting it on an ottoman with crutches nearby.
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The photograph prompted Jenkins to look beyond the difficult circumstances that eventually surrounded their relationship and revisit a period of her life she still remembers with considerable affection.
"It's so refreshing to have pictures sent to you with nothing but positive memories attached," she wrote, thanking the person who had shared the photograph.
Jenkins opens up about relationship with Hernandez
Jenkins' message was particularly personal because it focused not only on Hernandez, but also on how she felt about herself during their relationship.
"Although I'm in a completely different chapter of life now, I can honestly say this was my favorite version of myself," she continued.
"I was in love, loved in return, and genuinely cherished. Looking back, I remember what it felt like to be appreciated in that way."
The former couple had known each other since elementary school before beginning their romantic relationship in 2007. They became engaged in 2012, the same year they welcomed their daughter, Avielle.
Their relationship continued through considerable upheaval, including Hernandez's arrest in 2013 and his subsequent conviction in the murder of Odin Lloyd.
Hernandez was sentenced to life imprisonment in 2015 and died by suicide inside his prison cell in April 2017. He was 27 years old.
Bill Belichick reflected on Hernandez's troubled life
Before his arrest, Hernandez had established himself as one of the NFL's promising young tight ends, playing three seasons under Patriots head coach Bill Belichick.
New England rewarded his performances with a five-year contract extension worth approximately $39.6 million in August 2012, but released him following his arrest the next year.
Belichick later discussed his former player's complicated legacy during an appearance on Sean Hannity's podcast.
"Aaron was very smart. He was different," Belichick said, before acknowledging the troubling aspects of Hernandez's life that emerged outside football.
"There were a lot of things to like about Aaron, and then Aaron had another side to him that I guess a lot of us didn't see."
Happiness, heartbreak and moving forward
Since Hernandez's death, Jenkins has continued raising Avielle and welcomed another daughter, Giselle, from a subsequent relationship.
She has also spoken publicly about how her experiences shaped her, previously sharing two photographs of herself wearing the same black dress nine years apart.
"I've been talked down to, cheated on, embarrassed, silenced, praised, hated, loved, idolized, rejected, and judged," she wrote in that earlier reflection.
"I've experienced heartbreak and healing, loss and growth."
Her latest tribute carries a similar message, recognizing that painful experiences and happy memories can remain part of the same personal history.
"It's bittersweet, but I'll always have love for that version of me and the happiness," Jenkins wrote.