Woman films her ex-husband proposing to his girlfriend in refreshingly heartwarming TikTok
Such a great example of what healthy blended families can look like.

Leah filmed her ex-husband, Steve, proposing to his girlfriend, Shonda.
Proposal videos are usually incredibly heartwarming, but this one is its own flavor of sweetness, as it offers a refreshingly uplifting glimpse of what a healthy relationship between divorcés can look like.
Leah Bourdo, a single mom in Michigan, recently went viral on TikTok after filming her ex-husband, Steve, proposing to his girlfriend (spoiler: now fiancée), Shonda.
The video shows Steve getting down on one knee for Shonda, who is visibly thrilled, as Leah and Steve’s two daughters welcome their new stepmom with a card and flowers.
Leah’s on-screen text reads:
"This weekend I got to be there when my ex-husband proposed to his girlfriend. She is the kind of woman I have prayed would come into his life. She is incredible with our daughters, and they love her so much. Not only is she good to our girls, she respects the co-parenting relationship we have for our children. On top of that, she has become my friend, my family even. I love her with all my heart. And to my ex: Thank you for letting me be a part of this moment and sharing her with me."
"Welcome to the home team, Shonda," her video concluded. "We love you.”
@blinkerthanks I got to video my ex husband propose to his girlfriend…so special❤️ #coparenting #coparentinggoals #coparentingchamps #exhusbandsnewwife #bonusmom @the_shonda.rae @stevebourdo ♬ A thousand years - Zeus
Viewers were taken aback by how these two divorcés were able to create their own happy, healthy blended family.
“Proof it doesn’t have to be all drama and spiteful, the kids are happy and that’s more important than anything and anyone,” one person wrote.
“This has made me sob my heart out,” wrote another. “How unselfish of you. You have taught me a HUGE lesson.”
Of course, getting to this stage of their post-divorce relationship took some work. Steve and Leah shared with Today.com that their marriage was a “living hell,” with issues of verbal abuse, addiction and simply marrying quite young being major contributing factors.
Initially, their separation was equally difficult. During the first four years of their divorce, they blocked each other's phone numbers and only communicated through email or in-laws. Ultimately, "the only way we could make it work is to prioritize our children and put aside our feelings for one another," Leah recalled. "We were able to forgive each other."
"Any time you hate somebody, you're only hurting yourself," added Steve.
Their commitment has certainly paid off. Steve and Leah might no longer be married, but their friendship is thriving. Viewers on TikTok have gushed over Leah’s previous TikToks showing Steve randomly checking in, fixing a flat tire and generally being a positive support system. The love shared in their little blended family is evident.
.@blinkerthanks Replying to @konfusion1 @stevebourdo is my hero🙏🏻🤣🤣. He came with his gf and fixed my flat🙌🏻. Then I got to hang out with my kids and @the_shonda.rae for a while. Lucky girl🥰 #coparentinggoals #coparentsoftheyear #babydaddy ♬ Hero - Mariah Carey
Perhaps Leah and Steve’s dynamic isn’t possible for every ex-couple, but it speaks volumes for what can happen when resentment is replaced by loving and respectful communication. This is what makes a healthy family, and they are living proof of it.
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There's a reason why some people can perfectly copy accents, and others can't
Turns out, there's a neurodivergent link.
A woman in black long sleeve shirt stands in front of mirror.
Have you ever had that friend who goes on vacation for four days to London and comes back with a full-on Queen's English posh accent? "Oooh I left my brolly in the loo," they say, and you respond, "But you're from Colorado!" Well, there are reasons they (and many of us) do that, and usually it's on a pretty subconscious level.
It's called "accent mirroring," and it's actually quite common with people who are neurodivergent, particularly those with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder). According Neurolaunch, the self-described "Free Mental Health Library," "Accent mirroring, also known as accent adaptation or phonetic convergence, is the tendency to unconsciously adopt the accent or speech patterns of those around us. This linguistic chameleon effect is not unique to individuals with ADHD, but it appears to be more pronounced and frequent in this population."
Essentially, when people have conversations, we're constantly "scanning" for information—not just the words we're absorbing, but the inflection and tone. "When we hear an accent, our brains automatically analyze and categorize the phonetic features, prosody, and intonation patterns," writes Neurolaunch. For most, this does result in copying the accent of the person with whom we're speaking. But those with ADHD might be more sensitive to auditory cues. This, "coupled with a reduced ability to filter out or inhibit the impulse to mimic…could potentially explain the increased tendency for accent mirroring."
While the article explains further research is needed, they distinctly state that, "Accent mirroring in individuals with ADHD often manifests as an unconscious mimicry of accents in social situations. This can range from subtle shifts in pronunciation to more noticeable changes in intonation and speech rhythm. For example, a person with ADHD might find themselves unconsciously adopting a Southern drawl when conversing with someone from Texas, even if they’ve never lived in the South themselves."
People are having their say online. On the subreddit r/ADHDWomen, a thread began: "Taking on accents is an ADHD thing?" The OP shares, "My whole life, I've picked up accents. I, myself, never noticed, but everyone around me would be like, 'Why are you talking like that??' It could be after I watched a show or movie with an accent or after I've traveled somewhere with a different accent than my 'normal.'
They continue, "Apparently, I pick it up fast, but it fades out slowly. Today... I'm scrolling Instagram, I watch a reel from a comedian couple (Darcy and Jeremy. IYKYK) about how Darcy (ADHD) picks up accents everywhere they go. It's called ADHD Mirroring??? And it's another way of masking."
(The OP is referring to Darcy Michaels and his husband Jeremy Baer, who are both touring comedians based in Canada.)
Hundreds of people on the Reddit thread alone seem to relate. One comments, "Omfg I've done this my whole life; I'll even pick up on the pauses/spaces when I'm talking to someone who is ESL—but English is my first language lol."
Sometimes, it can be a real issue for those around the chameleon. "I accidentally mimicked a waitress's weird laugh one time. As soon as she was out of earshot, my family started to reprimand me, but I was already like 'oh my god I don’t know why I did that, I feel so bad.'"
Many commenters on TikTok were shocked to find out this can be a sign of ADHD. One jokes, "Omg, yes, at a store the cashier was talking to me and she was French. She's like 'Oh are you French too? No, I'm not lol. I'm very east coast Canada."
And some people just embrace it and make it work for them. "I mirror their words or phrase! I’m 30. I realized I start calling everyone sweetie cause my manager does & I work at coffee shop."
This article originally appeared in May.