A couple who made headlines after they married in 2009 when they discovered they shared the same name have filed for divorce, citing an irretrievable breakdown of their marriage The pair started a relationship when 20-year-old Kelly Katrina Hildebrandt typed her own name into Facebook in 2008, finding 24-year-old Kelly Carl Hildebrandt. The two began e-mailing each other, starting a long-distance relationship despite living well over 1,000 miles apart.
A marriage can fail for a number of different reasons. Like this couple, many Maryland residents cite irreconcilable differences as the cause of their divorce, but others may file for divorce due to infidelity, desertion, abuse, insanity and several other reasons. Individuals interested in ending their marriage in Maryland for any reason should contact a qualified family law attorney to learn more about their legal options.
The same-named couple quickly began calling each other, with Kelly Carl traveling to visit Kelly Katrina three weeks later. They became engaged almost immediately and were married. Their wedding was featured in reports by the Today show, People magazine, Fox News, Yahoo.com and Inside Edition.
However, the couple’s shared name did not provide a strong enough bond to save their relationship, as they filed for divorce after less than three years of marriage. Kelly Carl Hildebrandt cited irreconcilable differences as the cause of the couple’s divorce, saying that they gave it their best shot. The case is still pending, but Kelly Clark says he has already returned to his home state.
Although he asserts that he and Kelly Katrina’s relationship was more than a shared name, Kelly Clark said that he would be hesitant before entering a marriage under similar circumstances. He explained that he believes the resulting media coverage would be unfair for a future spouse, though he said he is not certain how the spotlight might have contributed to his divorce.
Source: Yahoo! News, “Couple sharing same name have split,” Claudine Zap, Jan. 14, 2013
