Denver Mayor Michael Hancock and his wife, Mary Louise Lee, will separate and pursue a dissolution of their marriage, the mayor’s office announced on Friday.

“We will always love and support each other; however, we have determined that we have simply grown apart and desire different goals in life,” a statement from Hancock and Lee read. “We shared many wonderful moments during our time together, and cherish the blessings of our children, and now our first grandchild.”

The couple has been married for 28 years. They had two children together, Janae and Jordan. Lee, a singer and actor, told Colorado Politics during the 2019 mayoral campaign that she and Hancock first met as middle school students in Denver.

“I knew there was something about him that I liked,” she said.

Hancock, a former Denver councilman and council president, has served as mayor since 2011, and is completing his third and final term. Hancock and Lee added in their statement that the decision to separate was mutual, and asked for privacy “as we make this challenging transition in our lives.”