Christie Pearce Opens Up About Her “Toxic” Marriage on Special Forces
In a poignant moment of vulnerability on the October 30th episode of Fox’s “Special Forces,” former U.S. women’s soccer captain Christie Pearce revealed deeply personal struggles from her past marriage. At 50 years old, Pearce opened up to her fellow recruits and the Directing Staff about her divorce from Chris Rampone after a 16-year marriage that ended in 2017. “I stayed a little bit longer than I should have trying to heal it,” she confessed with remarkable candor, “but it wasn’t going to get healed.” This raw admission came during a show that pushes contestants to their physical and mental limits through military-style training, creating an environment where emotional walls often come down alongside physical exhaustion.
The soccer legend, who captained the national team for eight years, described how the challenges of “Special Forces” pushed her far beyond her comfort zone. “I’m scared of everything on this course. It’s way harder than what I’ve ever experienced in my 19 years of playing soccer,” Pearce admitted to the Directing Staff. She painted a picture of her life as a professional athlete and mother, sharing how she returned to the soccer field just three months after giving birth to each of her daughters, Rylie (now 21) and Reece (16). Pearce’s dedication to both motherhood and her career meant her daughters traveled with her while she competed, creating a unique family dynamic that brought its own challenges to her marriage.
The conversation took a more somber turn as Pearce revealed the imbalance in her marriage, explaining that while her husband stayed home, she was “the breadwinner on the road every day doing everything and exhausted.” This demanding lifestyle created a disconnect in their relationship. “Then I was coming home and fighting. You’re in a marriage that you’re not together, so I think you lose your feelings,” she reflected. Perhaps the most difficult admission came when Pearce acknowledged the disparity between her public image and private reality: “I’m embarrassed of trying to make it seem like I have this happy marriage. I was captain of the national team for eight years and I was a strong woman that led this team. But yet I couldn’t leave my marriage.” The juxtaposition of her strength on the field and her struggle to leave an unhealthy relationship highlights the complex nature of domestic relationships, even for those who appear strongest to the outside world.
For Pearce, retirement from soccer became a turning point in her personal life. “Then I retired and I knew it wasn’t going to work,” she said of her marriage, which ultimately ended in what she described as an “extremely ugly” divorce. The painful process left emotional scars that continued to affect her ability to move forward. Her participation in “Special Forces” represents more than just a physical challenge; it symbolizes her quest to regain “confidence” and “keep moving forward” in her personal life. This journey toward healing has included finding new love with former head coach Christy Holly, suggesting that Pearce has begun to write a new chapter in her story despite the difficulties of her past.
The show itself, “Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test,” which premiered in 2023, subjects contestants to rigorous training modeled after actual Special Forces selection processes. Participants face grueling physical and mental trials designed to push them beyond their perceived limitations. The current season features a diverse cast of reality TV personalities including Kody Brown, Brianna LaPaglia, Olympic gold medalist Shawn Johnson East and her husband Andrew East, NFL player Randall Cobb, and Gia Giudice. This varied group of individuals from different walks of fame creates a unique environment for personal revelations and growth as they navigate the extreme challenges together.
In a lighter moment shared exclusively with Us Weekly before the season aired, Pearce revealed that after enduring the intense conditions of the show, she particularly appreciated “having a nice cup of coffee” when she finally returned home. This simple pleasure stands in stark contrast to the harsh environment and emotional intensity of the program, reminding viewers that even for elite athletes and strong personalities, it’s often the small comforts that bring joy after periods of extreme stress. As viewers continue to follow Pearce and her fellow contestants on “Special Forces,” which airs Thursdays at 9 p.m. ET on Fox, they witness not just physical endurance but also emotional journeys of self-discovery and healing that transcend the competitive nature of the show itself.
