Sara Evans revealed she has reconciled with her estranged husband Harry “Jay” Barker, two years after he was arrested for domestic violence. Barker was charged with felony aggravated assault with a deadly weapon in January 2022, accused of attempting to hit a car Evans was riding in with his own car. He subsequently entered a “best interest” plea to a misdemeanor charge of reckless endangerment and received one year of probation.
Evans, 53, confirmed that she and Barker, 51, reconciled after she filed for divorce nearly three years prior during the Thursday, March 21, episode of her podcast, “Diving in Deep with Sara Evans”. She noted that she will be addressing her ups and downs with Barker in an upcoming album titled ‘Unbroke’.
Evans said that she and Barker originally separated in April 2021 after 13 years of marriage, but when they met for lunch in January 2022 they got into a verbal argument, which later resulted in the domestic violence incident and arrest after the couple’s daughter called the police, causing Barker to leave the scene. (Evans shares daughters Audrey, 19, and Olivia, 21, and son Avery, 24, with ex-husband Craig Schelske.)
Evans shared:“We’re so happy now, but I don’t want anyone to think that I’m advocating staying in a relationship where you are ever, in your gut, you know that you need to exit the situation. Every woman needs to follow her gut on that and do what is best for her. I believe and I hope that I’ve done that.” The musician acknowledged that not everyone would agree with her decision to reconcile with Barker, and that “a lot of women will judge me and want to judge me” but noted that Barker has become a “completely different” person: “.. we’re all Christians, and I’ve taught my children to forgive. My three children have forgiven him and we’re all back together. Every day we thank God that we didn’t split.”
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