Meet the mum who is best friends with her ex and even helped set him up with his new girlfriend - and they all spend Christmas and holidays together. Mary McDaniel, 27, initially struggled to get on with her ex-partner, Nathan Drumm, 29, a decorator technician, when they first split in June 2019.
But after some time apart, the pair reignited their friendship so they can co-parent their son, Silas, four, together. Mum-of-three Mary had been brought up by divorced parents "who struggled to get along" and didn’t want the same for her son.
She started slowly inviting Nathan to play dates and gradually they rebuilt their friendship and now say they are back to being best friends. Mary even set Nathan up with her old school friend, Shayla Farmer, 26, a hair stylist- and the pair have been dating for three months - with Mary giving her former partner relationship advice.
Nathan is also best friends with Mary's ex-husband, Josh Sulzen, 27, and the pair hang out with their kids. Mary, a stay-at-home mum, from Muncie, Indiana, US, said: “We didn’t get on at all when we first split up.
“My parents separated and didn’t get along and I didn’t want that for Silas. So, slowly I started inviting Nathan to stuff and we built up our friendship again.
“Now he’s over most days. I’m best friends with his new girlfriend and we meet up all the time - even when Nathan’s not around.
“Nathan will come over and stay the night on Christmas Eve, so Silas has us both when he wakes up on Christmas Day. We're not sure what we will do this year, we might go over to Shayla's but we haven't decided."
Nathan, from Muncie, Indiana, US, said: “Mary hooked Shayla and I up. They went to school together and I saw that she was cute, and she helped get us together.
“Mary and I talk about pretty much everything. There is nothing off limits. We grew up together and got together young, so we’ve known each other practically our whole lives.”
Nathan and Mary split up in June 2019, after four years on and off, and struggled to co-parent at first. “After about six months I started to invite Nathan to things with us,” Mary said.
“So, we could co-parent better. My parents were always afraid of upsetting each other but since they've seen Nathan and I getting along they've been talking to each other again.
“Over time we became best friends again. Now our son still gets to do things with the both of us.”
Nathan has since started dating Shayla after Mary set the pair up in August 2022. “We knew each other from school and Nathan saw her and thought she was cute,” Mary said.
“So, I set them up. Shayla and I are great friends too and go for dinners or she comes round to help with the kids. She’s such a support."
Shayla said: "At first it was kind of weird. In past relationships with guys the ex would always treat me like garbage so it took a while to adjust.
"It was hard for me to give them all my trust. Whenever I had an insecurity I voiced it and now it feels like a family. We hang out the three of us."
Mary remarried Josh, a sprinkler fitter, and the pair had Jovie, two, and Story, one, together. The pair separated in August 2022 but continue to co-parent their children and all get along.
Josh said: "At first Nathan and I didn't really get on. It wasn't all rainbows and butterflies. Now we hang out with the kids together.
"Mary and I have just separated so we're adjusting but hope to co parent like her and Nathan do. We've discussed me coming round for the kids to wake up on Christmas morning."
Mary said: “They’ll all come round for Christmas and Easter and things like that. It’s great that we can all get along and be friends.
"We talk about everything. The other day Shayla showed me this lingerie outfit she was thinking of wearing for Nathan and I was like 'yes wear that'. I don’t think a lot of people think that is normal.”
