Breaking her silence. Gisele Bündchen is speaking out about her split from Tom Brady for the first time since the exes finalized their divorce.
The 42-year-old model referred to the breakup as “the death of my dream” in a candid cover story for Vanity Fair‘s April 2023 issue published on Wednesday, March 22. “What’s been said is one piece of a much bigger puzzle,” Bündchen said, reacting to “very hurtful” speculation about her perspective on Brady’s football career. “It’s not so black and white.”
She continued: “Listen, I have always cheered for him, and I would continue forever. If there’s one person I want to be the happiest in the world, it’s him, believe me. I want him to achieve and to conquer. I want all his dreams to come true. That’s what I want, really, from the bottom of my heart.”
Brady, 45, confirmed in October 2022 that he and the Brazil native had called it quits. “We arrived at this decision amicably and with gratitude for the time we spent together,” he wrote via his Instagram Story. “We are blessed with beautiful and wonderful children who will continue to be the center of our world in every way. We will continue to work together as parents to always ensure they receive the love and attention they deserve.”
The athlete and the model — who exchanged vows in February 2009 — share son Benjamin, 12, and daughter Vivian, 9. Brady is also father to 15-year-old son Jack with his ex-girlfriend Bridget Moynahan.
Despite the end of their marriage, the now-exes remain committed to raising their little ones. “We’re not playing against each other,” Bündchen told Vanity Fair. “We are a team … and that’s beautiful. I look back and I have no regrets. I loved every bit of it.”
When it comes to what led to the duo’s split, she was straightforward. “Sometimes you grow together; sometimes you grow apart,” she said. “When I was 26 years old and he was 29 years old, we met, we wanted a family, we wanted things together. As time goes by, we realize that we just wanted different things, and now we have a choice to make. That doesn’t mean you don’t love the person. It just means that in order for you to be authentic and truly live the life that you want to live, you have to have somebody who can meet you in the middle, right? It’s a dance. It’s a balance.”
She explained: “When you love someone, you don’t put them in a jail and say, ‘You have to live this life.’ You set them free to be who they are, and if you want to fly the same direction, then that’s amazing.”
Ahead of the pair’s divorce, the now-retired quarterback seemingly hinted that he and the Brazil native were struggling while explaining his absence from training camp with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
“It’s all personal, you know. Everyone’s got different situations that they’re dealing with,” he told reporters in August 2022. “We all have really unique challenges to our life. I’m 45 years old, man. There’s a lot of s–t going on, so just gotta figure out life the best you can. It’s a continuous process.”
Brady and Bündchen first sparked split rumors after the pro athlete walked back his NFL retirement announcement in March 2022. The former Victoria’s Secret angel was candid about how the decision affected her.
“Obviously, I have my concerns [with him returning to football] — this is a very violent sport, and I have my children and I would like him to be more present,” she told Elle for their October 2022 cover story. “I have definitely had those conversations with him over and over again. But ultimately, I feel that everybody has to make a decision that works for [them]. He needs to follow his joy, too.”
After publicly announcing that he and Bündchen were parting ways, the football player further addressed the situation during an October 2022 appearance on the SiriusXM podcast “Let’s Go! With Tom Brady, Larry Fitzgerald and Jim Gray.”
“Obviously, the good news is it’s a very amicable situation, and I’m really focused on two things: taking care of my family and certainly my children and, secondly, doing the best job I can to win football games,” Brady said. “That’s what professionals do. You focus at work when it’s time to work, and then when you come home, you focus on the priorities that are at home. All you can do is the best you could do. That’s what I’ll just continue to do as long as I’m working and as long as I’m being a dad.”
Despite the California native’s composure, a source exclusively told Us that the breakup has been hard on the former couple. “This is heartbreaking for both of them,” the insider revealed in October 2022. “They want to do what’s best for their family.”
