Former Teen Launches GoFundMe For ‘Journey Of Independence’ After Viral Marriage To 55-Year-Old Godfather Failed

A young Florida woman who went viral in 2021 for her controversial marriage to a man who many accused of grooming her has taken to the internet to ask for assistance to leave her “toxic” marriage for a “journey of independence.”

On May 16, Deja Haugabook created a GoFundMe asking netizens to donate $20,000 so she could start anew with her children. The now 20-something woman requested assistance with money to secure a place to stay and a vehicle.

“ Hi, my name is Deja Haugabook. I’ve been in a toxic marriage for the past three years. I am trying to get a place and a car to benefit me and my kids I want out bad and never have to depend on my ex/husband. My goal is 20,000, but anything helps. I love who supports me ❤️,” she penned, explaining her new circumstance.

The young mother uploaded a picture of herself and three small children, including an infant, to the GoFundMe page.

In 2021, Deja and her estranged husband, Mike Haugabook, gained notoriety after he married her when she was just 18 years old. At the time, the marriage certificate recorded his age as 55– though Deja claimed he was 46. Mike caught flack online after netizens discovered that he had previously dated Deja’s mother and had been considered her godfather. Their joint Instagram page was also deleted .

At the time, the then-teenager defended her estranged husband, stating that she preferred older men over boys because they were more mature– and their love was real. They reportedly wed in September 2021 after a week-long engagement. In that same year, Deja’s mother, Davina, claimed that Mike had given her daughter an STI. The man accused of grooming Deja also wrote on Facebook that the younger woman was better than her mother.

In happier times, the Fort Pierce, Florida, couple rode hard for one another, with Deja recording a song titled “Age Ain’t Nothin’ But A  Number.”

Although Deja didn’t divulge the intricacies of her marriage to Mike, we hope that she is getting the support she needs for herself and her children. Of the $20,000 ask on GoFundMe, she’s only managed to earn slightly under $2,800. The top donation for Deja’s “journey to independence” was from a single anonymous donor for $2,000.