Calgary couple’s #DivorceSelfie goes viral

WATCH: A Calgary couple’s #divorceselfie has gone viral after snapping the photo last week. Melissa Ramsay reports.

CALGARY – A Calgary woman’s smiling selfie taken after she and her husband filed for divorce has gone viral.

In the photo posted to Facebook, Shannon and Chris Neuman can be seen standing in front of the Calgary Courts Centre in downtown Calgary.

According to the caption, the pair are pleased they were able to do “something extraordinary” and end their marriage “respectfully, thoughtfully and honourably” in a way that will allow them to “go forward as parenting partners for their children.”

“They’ll never have to wonder which side of the auditorium to run to after their Christmas concert or spring play, because we’ll be sitting together.”

The soon-to-be divorcee indicated that she and Chris struggled but succeeded to come up with a parenting plan together for life after the divorce.

“We’ve been separated for nearly four years, and our journey has been long and often painful, but I do feel very confident that we can maintain the positive relationship we have now, because it matters so much to us to do so,” Shannon told Global News.

The photo, posted to Facebook on August 27, has already been shared over 27,000 times.

Shannon says reaction to the photo has been mixed, with friends and family members showing support, but some people criticizing that divorce is never something to be celebrated.

“We agree 100%,” said Shannon. “Our goal was to go through the process amicably and respectfully, keeping the well being of our kids at the forefront of every decision we made. We weren’t celebrating when we took the photo, we were commemorating the accomplishment of a goal that we worked really hard to reach.”

“This marriage was mourned, I promise you,” she added. “The sadness, disappointment, heartache, confusion, guilt and shame that we’ve felt along the way has been real, and it felt good to achieve a positive outcome and share that with our friends and family.”

The pair were married for 11 years and have two children together.