7NEWS.com.au
Published: 23.06.2024
Updated: 24.06.2024
3 min read

Woman reveals gut-wrenching reason she stayed in her marriage after she found out her husband cheated

Nia Rader found out her husband cheated on her during the infamous Ashley Madison leak.

Surviving the world's biggest ever cheating scandal

Woman reveals gut-wrenching reason she stayed in her marriage after she found out her husband cheated

Nia Rader found out her husband cheated on her during the infamous Ashley Madison leak.

A Christian woman who found out her husband cheated on her in the Ashley Madison leak has revealed why she stayed with him after the infidelity.

Nine years ago, Nia Rader was distraught to learn of her husband Sam’s multiple affairs — only for her to stay in the marriage, which they have now profiled on Netflix’s Ashley Madison: Sex, Lies & Scandal.

WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Woman reveals gut-wrenching reason she stayed in her marriage after she found out her husband cheated.

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In August 2015, a hacking group leaked more than 25 gigabytes of data from the Ashley Madison website — an online dating service marketed to married people seeking affairs. The site still runs, and has approximately 75 million users.

On Friday, the pair joined Monique Wright and Matt Shirvington on Sunrise, with Nia explaining why she took Sam back.

“We had built such a life together,” Nia said, admitting she was “embarrassed and angry” after finding out.

“At first, I didn’t want to stay in the marriage but after counselling and really considering my options and researching what does the Bible say about divorce and adultery, I just knew that I was supposed to at least try to work towards forgiveness,” she said.

“He was very repentant, so he made (the process) easier ... but it wasn’t easy.”

Sam said he was already on a bad path before joining Ashley Madison — and said he was drawn to the site because of how easy it was to meet other women.

“I was already doing stupid things behind Nia’s back, and just trying to find excitement in my life through women. That’s what I was used to growing up in high school,” Sam said.

Sam and Nia Rader appeared on Sunrise on Friday.
Sam and Nia Rader appeared on Sunrise on Friday. Credit: Seven

“I didn’t have a father to show me what marriage would be like after the wedding. All the responsibilities of adulthood put our relationship with the Lord on the back burner, and I started trying to do things my own way.”

Sam explained his secret was exposed via Twitter, now X, following the hack. He said he was flying to Seattle, when he “nearly passed out”.

“I thought my life was over,” he said.

Nia said she wanted to be part of the documentary to help other couples.

“If my story can help one woman or one couple out there, it feels worth it. It feels worth it to share because we are on the other side of it now, and I have forgiven him and all of those things that we are detailing in the documentary,” Nia said.

Sam said the pair are looking back on their past selves.

“It’s been 10 years — we’re looking back on people we don’t really recognise any more,” Sam said.

“It’s something that was so far in our past. Now we’re helping other couples. To be completely vulnerable in front of other marriages.”

The pair now live in Dallas, in the US, with their four children.

They are successful content creators on YouTube — having amassed over 1.2 billion views, with 2.5 million subscribers.

Sam finished by saying he would never cheat on Nia again.

“Definitely not — the whole thing is so full of Iies,” Sam said.

“We’re bombarded constantly by sex, sexual images, movies, everywhere you look, there is the sexual pill.

“It’s all lies and I fell for it as a young man, and unfortunately, I learned the hard way that it’s empty.

“There’s no meaning in other women.”

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