Sami Clarke and JT Barnett Split After Less Than 1 Year of Marriage

Influencer Sami Clarke and her husband, JT Barnett, have called it quits after less than one year of marriage.

“My life is shifting and I’m moving into a new chapter apart from JT,” Clarke wrote via a Sunday, October 5, statement shared via her Instagram Stories. “It’s truly hard to put into words how tough this feels, but I trust it’s the right step for me.”

She continued, “I’ll forever be grateful for the love and memories we shared for these past eight year stogther. Yhank you for giving us space and grace as we move through this new chapter.”

Clarke and Barnett tied the knot in La Quinta, California, in November 2024. “The best day of our lives,” the pair wrote in a joint Instagram post at the time alongside photos from their nuptials. “We are THE BARNETT’s. 11.16.24 🕊️♥️💍.”

The couple initially crossed paths when Barnett approached Clarke, who has amassed more than 600,000 Instagram followers, on social media.

“He slid into my DMs after commenting on a photo of me getting baptized, and what started as a friendly exchange quickly turned into something more meaningful,” Clarke wrote on Shona Joy’s website after her wedding to Barnett. “At the time, he was playing hockey in Russia, and I was pursuing modeling. We kept in touch as friends for a year before finally meeting in person when he came to LA.”

Clarke gushed that her first time meeting Barnett in person was “magical,” as they “spent five hours on a rooftop, talking non-stop, and by the end of it, we both knew this was something special.” The influencer noted that the pair’s initial date “set the foundation for what has become the most beautiful partnership.”

When Barnett popped the question to Clarke, the content creator shared that the gesture “completely surprised” her.

“He worked with my management team to create a fake job offer I couldn’t refuse—a couples’ photoshoot for a brand,” she explained. “When I arrived at the shoot, he proposed! To make it even more special, he flew in both of our families to celebrate the moment with us. It was thoughtful, heartfelt, and so uniquely us — one of the best days of my life.”

In the months that have followed since the wedding, Clarke gushed over her relationship with Barnett. “Happy Valentine’s Day @jtbarnett Instagram in February alongside a photo of the twosome on an ice rink. “full circle moment, cheering you on from the bench, playing the sport that I met you eight years ago playing! ilysm.”

Last month, however, Clarke shared a cryptic message about her mindset. While sharing a selfie via Instagram in September, Clarke wrote, “Healing isn’t just learning to be with the hard stuff — it’s learning to let the good in, too.”

“Lately I’ve noticed that after years of working on myself and doing so much healing, my body almost feels safer in the heavy emotions than it does in joy,” Clarke continued in the caption. “Like when I go to post something light or positive, there’s a little voice that says, ‘Wait, are you not telling the truth if you don’t name the struggle too?’”

Clarke vowed to continue sharing the “ups and downs in this journey of life.”

“But understanding, joy doesn’t erase the struggle. Both can exist at the same time. And maybe the healing isn’t choosing one or the other, but learning to hold both,” she concluded. “Allowing both to exist is being human 🦋.”