In May 2020, a disturbing video surfaced showing George Floyd, a 46-year-old Black man, gasping for air under the knee of Officer Derek Chauvin on a Minneapolis street corner. The footage quickly went viral and ignited global protests against police brutality, sparking a powerful movement under the banner “Black Lives Matter.”
But while the world was watching a social uprising unfold, another story was unraveling behind closed doors—the breakdown of Derek Chauvin’s marriage. Just three days after the incident, Kellie Chauvin, his wife of nearly ten years, filed for divorce.
Instead of standing by her husband, Kellie stood with the grieving family. And that choice rewrote the narrative of her life.
But why did she walk away when the world expected her to stay? Let’s unpack the journey of Kellie Chauvin—a woman who’s been a refugee, a beauty queen, a survivor, and now, a household name caught in the crossfire of justice and scandal.
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Early Life & Escape from War
Kellie May Xiong Chauvin was born in Laos on October 21, 1974, to a Hmong family. At the age of three, her family fled to Thailand due to the violent civil war in their homeland. They were placed in a refugee camp, where living conditions were grim and resources were scarce.
“I stopped eating oatmeal because it reminded me of the camp,” Kellie once revealed. To protect herself from the cold, she wore a boy’s jacket—one of the few garments available.
After three difficult years, her family resettled in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, and began a new life in the United States.
Education & Cultural Struggles
Kellie started her formal education by taking admission to kindergarten in 1984. She faced many difficulties and bullying in school at the start as the English language was new to her. In an interview, she said,
They say ‘land of the free ‘… but I still didn’t feel like we were free. We didn’t know English. My parents didn’t want us to leave the house because they didn’t trust the world. You land into this brand-new world and you don’t know what to expect, and so we were always kept inside.
After Kellie graduated from high school at seventeen, her parents forced her to marry Kujay Xiong whom she barely knew. According to Kellie, it is essential for a Hmong to marry at a young age. She said,
As a Hmong woman, if you’re not married by 18 … then your parents think that nobody will marry you
Unfortunately, the marriage didn’t work, and after the divorce, Kellie continued her education by taking admission to college, where she earned an associate’s degree in Radiology.
Later in her life, Kellie got admission to Kaplan University to seek a course in Residential Real Estate.
Her Career
After completing her associate’s degree in Radiology, Kellie started a job as an intern at Hennepin County Medical Center in Minneapolis, a position that later became a full-time position.
She worked there for 13 years but later decided to change her profession. Upon resigning from the hospital, Kellie worked for RE/MAX Results.
Following a suggestion from a close friend, Kellie participated in the USOA’s Mrs. Minnesota pageant in 2018 and became the first-ever Hmong to win.
Her Love Life And Relationship
First Marriage
Mrs. Minnesota first married Kujay Xiong at the young age of 17, which was actually an arranged marriage because, as a Hmong lady, she had to marry before reaching the age of 18.
Her new husband was completely a stranger to her. The marriage was pretty disastrous as she became the victim of domestic violence. Kellie was forced to remain with this guy for ten years.
During this time, she gave birth to two beautiful children. Finally, Kellie got the courage to escape from this abusive relationship by divorcing her husband. After her divorce, she moved to Minnesota in search of a better life.
Second Marriage
After her divorce, Kellie shifted her focus to her education and career. She was extra careful when it came to relationships because she didn’t want to end up in another abusive relationship.
During her job at Hennepin County Medical Center, Kellie met her future husband, Derek Chauvin, who was on duty and had brought someone for a health check-up before arrest. A romance blossomed, and they fell in love. The couple started dating, and later, On June 12, 2012, Kellie and Derek Chauvin officially tied a knot in Washington County.
After being crowned as Mrs. Minnesota in 2018, she shared her romantic love story with the media and said,
Under that uniform, he’s just a softie. He’s such a gentleman. He still opens the door for me, still puts my coat on for me. After my [previous] divorce, I had a list of must-haves if I were ever to be in a relationship, and he fit all of them.
The couple then moved to Florida and bought their first home in Windermere for an estimated amount of about $200,000.
Beauty Pageant Contest
In 2018 Kellie’s best friend Sophia Xiong-Yang convinced her to participate in USOA’s Mrs. Minnesota 2018. At first, Kellie was reluctant, but she entered her name in the contest.
She said,
I just knew that for myself. I was better than what people made me out to be, and further said, I know it took me a long time to realize that, but it’s never too late.
Her decision turned out to be correct, and she was crowned as “Mrs. Minnesota 2019” and became the first Hmong woman to win this prestigious title.
Kellie told the media that she was bullied in school during her childhood for her looks, and the whole school used to call her an ugly child. But now, she is a confident woman who spends most of her spare time working as a translator at local hospitals to make a difference in the life of Hmong women.
George Floyd’s Death
The tragic death of George Floyd not only shook the world, but it also shook the relationship of Kellie with her beloved husband Derek Chauvin, who was the murderer of George.
On May 25, 2020, a 46-year-old George was killed by Derek Chauvin after being pinned to the ground for more than nine minutes under the knee of Mr. Chauvin.
The incident was filmed and posted on the media, where it went viral. This video sparked outrage in America and around the globe, which led to weeks of protests.
Kellie’s husband, Mr. Chauvin, and his other three fellow officers — Thomas Lane, Tou Thao, and J. Alexander Kueng – who were present at the time of this incident were fired and arrested for this murder.
On April 20, 2021, Mr. Chauvin, 45, was found guilty of second-degree murder, third-degree murder, and second-degree manslaughter.
On June 25, 2021, Judge Peter Cahill sentenced Chauvin to 22 and half years in prison in Minneapolis court.
In the official statement, Judge Peter Cahill wrote,
Chauvin “abused his position of trust or authority” and treated Floyd with “particular cruelty.” Chauvin treated Floyd “without respect and denied him the dignity owed to all human beings.”
Kellie Divorce Derek
Kellie Chauvin filed for divorce from Derek on May 28, three days after Floyd’s brutal death, which shows that she was not happy about her husband Derek.
In the legal court papers, Kellie mentioned that she didn’t want any financial compensation as she is capable of taking care of herself.
The statement further stated,
“[The] respondent is fully capable of supporting herself,”. Both Kellie and her estranged husband waived their rights to “temporary or permanent spousal maintenance” from each other.
Kellie also requested the court to change her name in the papers, but she didn’t suggest the name she wanted to use.
“She is seeking a name change solely because of this marriage dissolution.” The divorce papers also read: Even though Kellie Chauvin “is currently unemployed,” she is “self-supporting” and “is not in need of spousal maintenance.”
Kellie Chauvin’s View On George Floyd’s Death
Kellie and her husband, Chauvin’s relationship, was shattered after the tragic George Floyd incident.
She released a statement through her Minneapolis lawyer about this incident. In this statement, she said that she was “devastated” by Mr. Floyd’s death and sent her “utmost sympathy” to his grieving family. She said,
I am devastated by Mr. Floyd’s death and my utmost sympathy lies with his family, with his loved ones, and with everyone who is grieving this tragedy.
She also requested the public to respect the privacy of her family and children during this sad time and requested the government to provide safety to her family and children as she was receiving threats.
Controversies
Kellie’s brother was also in the police, and when her husband Derek Chauvin was arrested for the murder of George, rumors spread on social media that she was the sister of former police officer Tou Thao.
These rumors were silenced by Kellie’s divorce lawyer Amanda Mason-Sekula who told the media that Kellie has no relationship with former police officer Tou Thao.
As the nationwide protests began against police brutality after the death of George Floyd. Kellie became the victim of cyberbullying, and people on social media started calling her ‘Lu’ (lit. Asian women who are in relationships with white men as a form of white worship). She was also labeled as “self-hating and complicity with white supremacy” on social media.
Where Is Kellie Chauvin Now?
Since her divorce was finalized in February 2021, Kellie has kept a low profile. Her request to legally change her name was granted under sealed court documents.
Today, she lives with one of her grown sons in Wisconsin, attempting to live a quiet, private life away from the chaos that once surrounded her.
Assets & Properties
She and Derek Chauvin own a house in Minnesota valued at $273,800, as well as a townhouse worth $226,282 in Florida.
According to nine felony tax evasion counts filed against them in July 2020, Derek and she underreported their joint income by $464,433, including more than $95,000 for Derek’s off-duty security work.
Some Lesser-Known Facts About Kellie
- She was the first Hmong woman to win Mrs. Minnesota America.
- She was sentenced for tax fraud in 2023 but is currently on probation.
- Kellie and her husband Derek Chauvin don’t have any children, but she has two kids from her previous marriage.
- In her childhood days, Kellie Chauvin was teased and bullied because of her looks and her classmate called her ugly.
- Kellie was named “2019 Grand Marshal of the Oakdale Summerfest Parade” in May 2019.
- Kellie’s hobby is helping people. She also donates and volunteers with Hmong Empowering Women, a non-profit organization.
- Kellie is an animal lover and also has a cute pet dog.
- On August 18, 1991, she married Kujay Xiong, who was 20 years old, and she was only 17.
