Two first cousins decided to make their controversial relationship known in a rather dramatic fashion, by telling their family with an image of them kissing.
As far as bombshells go, it's a big one.
First cousins, Michael Lee and Angela Paeng, from Utah, made an unconventional relationship announcement that left their family members and the online world feeling shocked and uncomfortable.
There's no right or wrong way (actually, there probably are several wrong ways, come to think of it) to announce your relationship to your family - be it breaking the news subtly during a family dinner or get-together or sending a text. But few choose to go down the route Lee and Paeng did.
The pair took things to another level by sharing a photo of them locking lips in their family Facebook group chat - and the reaction to the unexpected news went down exactly as you'd expect.
The unusual couple was featured on Amazon Prime Video's Extreme Love, a show that spotlights "a medley of extraordinary, unconventional relationships where traditional norms of romance are reinvented."
Dubbed the 'Kissing Cousins,' their episode of the program offers a peek into the complexities of their relationship after the pair met up at a family reunion and realized they had a romantic spark.
However, this wasn't the first time the pair appeared to have feelings for one another as their parents had actually found them slow dancing and sharing a kiss in a closet in second grade. They were immediately separated and they did not cross paths again for several years.
Both Lee and Paeng went on to marry other people, but later divorced, and coincidentally, they were both single when they reconnected at a family gathering years later.
Choosing to pursue a romantic relationship, the pair opted for an unconventional method to break the news to their family.
In the family's Facebook group chat, they shared a graphic photo of themselves engaged in a passionate kiss, which unsurprisingly elicited shocked responses. "They were shocked and horrified," Michael acknowledged on the show.
The uncomfortable nature of such a photo being shared with family is unquestionable, even without the added complexity of being literally related to your significant other to boot.
Regardless of the backlash, the defiant couple moved forward with their relationship, heading to Colorado to exchange vows, given marrying your cousin is in fact illegal in Utah.
They welcomed their son, Eric, in 2020, leaving viewers astounded and intrigued by their unique love story.
Sadly, Paeng later revealed that Lee had tragically died in July 2021 after collapsing at his workplace. Despite being rushed to hospital he was not able to be saved by medics after having a seizure, during which his heart stopped.
