Nate Berkus met his first husband Jeremiah years after losing partner Thu 30 March 2023 16:23 Kiesha Dosanjh
Nate Berkus and Jeremiah Brent are known for their on-screen relationship but before meeting his first husband, Nate suffered a great loss with his ex-partner Fernando, as fans wonder what happened.
Viewers got to know the relationship between Nate Berkus and his now-husband Jeremiah when they launched their first show as a couple, Nate and Jeremiah by Design on TLC in 2017. They are now currently on the second season of their HGTV show, Home Project.
We take a look into Nate’s previous partner Fernando and the tragic story of his death.
Who was Nate Berkus’ partner Fernando?
Nate’s former partner was Fernando Bengoechea, who worked as a photographer.
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The pair met at an O at Home magazine shoot, where Fernando was hired to photograph a living room that Nate had been hired to makeover.
They began dating in 2003, but unfortunately, a tsunami struck on their holiday to Sri Lanka in 2004.
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Nate Berkus miraculously survived the disaster that happened while they were on holiday, but unfortunately, his partner Fernando’s body was never found. He was 39 years old at the time.
The HGTV stars named their son after Fernando
Former TLC stars Nate and Jeremiah have two children together, daughter Poppy and son Oskar, who were both born via surrogate.
Oskar is Fernando’s middle name, and it was Brent who had the idea to give him that name in honor of Nate’s ex-partner.
Speaking to Oprah about the wedding, Jeremiah Brent said: “F’s a part of our love story, there’s no two ways about it.”
“I oddly feel connected to him and I honor that story,” the star continued.
Nate found love with Jeremiah eight years after his tragic loss
Nate and Jeremiah met in 2012, eight years after the tsunami which tragically led to Fernando’s death.
“My mother said to me when Jeremiah and I met, ‘The light is back in your eyes,'” Berkus recalls. “And I remember thinking to myself, I know. You’re right. I know,” Nate revealed in an interview with People.
At the time they met, Jerimiah was 26 years old and had never been in a serious relationship. The couple married in 2014 a year after getting engaged.
Nate revealed that he knew Jeremiah was the one he wanted to be with, and asked for his hand in marriage just eight months after they began dating.