Maks Chmerkovskiy and Peta Murgatroyd are recalling the time they called it quits before ultimately rekindling their romance.
“He was the one to say, ‘I want to marry you. This is where we are going to get married.’ And then he dumps me, like, five months later or something,” Murgatroyd, 38, said on the Wednesday, February 12, episode of the “Amy and T.J.” podcast.
Chmerkovskiy, 45, added, “That is what men do when they are in love. They run.”
Chmerkovskiy, who said it was “jarring” to see his previously empty closet filled with Murgatroyd’s belongings, explained that he ended the relationship because he knew she was The One.
“I did the thing that all stupid men do. Cold feet. It was the dumbest breakup ever,” Chmerkovskiy said, as Murgatroyd added, “And I had just bought him an $8,000 Louis Vuitton suitcase.”
Chmerkovskiy quipped that her generous gesture was “irresponsible,” while Murgatroyd noted the gift was “crazy” but justified it because they were “so in love.” In Murgatroyd’s mind, she didn’t think the couple were going to “break up anytime soon.”
Her husband, however, didn’t agree with that train of thought.
“We were so in love, there’s no reason for expensive presents, you know what I’m saying? My love is what it was. And then bam! You put me on the spot though. I wanted to break up and I was like, ‘No, she bought me this thing.’ I have to own it for a couple of days,” Chmerkovskiy admitted. “And I drove her to the airport, she was flying to L.A. I haven’t said a word — this is a true story.”
Chmerkovskiy recalled walking with Murgatroyd inside the airport and deciding to call it quits as soon as she was “behind the rope” of the security line.
“I’m like, ‘Let’s just give it time.’ And I do this, ‘Shh,’” Chmerkovskiy said, to which Murgatroyd added, “No, he said, ‘Go do you, boo. Just go do you for a second.’ I’m like, ‘Oh, OK.’ Yeah, it was terrible.”
Before Chmerkovskiy called it quits, Murgatroyd said she had a feeling he was going to end the relationship.
“On the way to the airport, he said to me, ‘Why did you pack up all of your things? Why did you take all the suitcases with you?’ I’m like, ‘Well, you’re breaking up with me, right? Why would I leave stuff at your house?’” Murgatroyd recalled. “He was just like, ‘You’re so black-and-white. Why would you take everything from the house?’ And I was like, ‘Wait, a second, do you still want me there partially?’ Like, it was so strange. That’s how I knew, ‘OK, this guy is just going through something. Let’s give it a second.’”
Murgatroyd explained that she and Chmerkovskiy ultimately reconciled in 2014 and welcomed their first child, son Shai, in January 2017. The pair tied the knot in July 2017 and went on to welcome sons Rio and Milan in June 2023 and July 2024, respectively.
When it comes to the Louis Vuitton suitcase, the luggage still exists — but it’s in storage.
“I would never get rid of it. I love it,” Murgatroyd said, to which Chmerkovskiy replied, “What do you mean? It’s mine. I was the one who kept it. … I didn’t want to [give it back] because I clearly didn’t feel like this was going to be forever.”
