Rachel Maddow, the renowned MSNBC host and political commentator, has long been a figure of authenticity and vulnerability in the public eye. Her relationship with artist and photographer Susan Mikula, spanning over two decades, is a testament to enduring love, resilience, and personal growth. However, recent revelations about leaked flirty messages from the early days of their relationship have shed light on a moment of hesitation in Maddow’s commitment to Mikula—a misstep she now openly acknowledges. Despite this early stumble, Maddow and Mikula’s bond has grown stronger, rooted in mutual support, shared values, and a profound connection that has weathered personal and public challenges.
A Serendipitous Beginning
Rachel Maddow and Susan Mikula’s love story began in 1999 in a small town in Western Massachusetts, where Maddow, then a recent Stanford graduate working on her doctoral dissertation at Oxford, took on odd jobs to make ends meet. One such job brought her to Mikula’s doorstep, hired to do yard work for the accomplished photographer. In a 2017 interview with The New Yorker, Maddow described the encounter as “love at first sight,” recalling, “Bluebirds and comets and stars. It was absolutely 100 percent clear.” Mikula, 15 years Maddow’s senior, felt the same spark, and their first date at a “Ladies Day on the Range” event hosted by the National Rifle Association marked the beginning of a transformative relationship. Despite both being involved with other women at the time, the connection was undeniable, prompting Maddow to contemplate monogamy for the first time.
The couple’s early days were not without complications. Recently leaked messages reveal that Maddow engaged in flirty exchanges with another woman during the initial stages of her relationship with Mikula. These messages, which surfaced in a new biography by Lisa Rogak, have brought renewed attention to the couple’s journey. Maddow has since addressed the controversy, admitting that her hesitation to fully commit to Mikula was her “biggest mistake.” She emphasized that she ceased contact with the other woman as soon as she decided to take her relationship with Mikula seriously, stating, “I stopped those messages the moment I knew Susan was the one. My only regret is not being serious about her sooner.”
A Partnership Built on Mutual Support
Maddow and Mikula’s relationship has thrived on mutual respect and understanding, particularly in navigating personal challenges. Maddow has been open about her lifelong struggle with cyclical depression, a condition she has managed since puberty. In a 2012 interview, she described how depression can feel like “someone hits the mute button,” isolating her from the world. Mikula has been a steadfast pillar of support during these episodes, helping Maddow identify and cope with her condition. “The time when it’s hardest is when I have forgotten that this happens to me, and so I don’t know what it is, and she will say, ‘You are depressed,’” Maddow told CBS Sunday Morning in 2016. This acknowledgment, coupled with Mikula’s encouragement to prioritize self-care through exercise and sleep, has been instrumental in Maddow’s ability to manage her mental health.
Mikula, born on March 7, 1958, in New Jersey, is an accomplished artist whose photography blends old and new technologies, often using pinhole and Polaroid cameras. Her work, featured in solo and group exhibitions across New York, Miami, San Francisco, and Los Angeles, is celebrated for its quintessentially American aesthetic. The couple splits their time between a pre-Civil War farmhouse in Western Massachusetts and an apartment in Manhattan’s West Village, a balance that reflects their shared appreciation for both rural tranquility and urban vibrancy. Mikula’s creative influence extends to Maddow’s professional life, with the photographer advising on her on-air fashion choices, encouraging her to wear makeup and opt for neutral-toned suits to maintain focus on her commentary rather than her appearance.
A Test of Resilience: Mikula’s COVID-19 Battle
The strength of Maddow and Mikula’s bond was profoundly tested in November 2020 when Mikula contracted COVID-19, an ordeal that brought the couple to the brink of fear and loss. Maddow, who had been in close contact with Mikula, took a two-week hiatus from The Rachel Maddow Show to quarantine. Upon her return, she delivered an emotional monologue, revealing that Mikula’s illness had been so severe that “at one point, we really thought there was a possibility that it might kill her.” Broadcasting from home, Maddow described the heartache of caring for Mikula from a distance, unable to physically comfort her partner. “She’s the center of my universe,” Maddow said, urging viewers to take the pandemic seriously to protect their loved ones. Mikula eventually recovered, though she experienced lingering symptoms, and Maddow later shared an update on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, expressing relief that Mikula was “out of the woods.”
This harrowing experience underscored the depth of their commitment. Maddow’s willingness to share such a personal struggle publicly highlighted her vulnerability and reinforced the couple’s role as a beacon of resilience. The outpouring of support from colleagues and viewers, including tweets from MSNBC’s Nicolle Wallace and Washington Post columnist Jonathan Capehart, reflected the public’s admiration for their enduring partnership.
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