Paralyzed footy star Alex McKinnon’s ex-wife Teigan Power debuts new boyfriend almost two years after their divorce

Teigan Power, the ex-wife of former NRL star Alex McKinnon, has gone public with her new love almost a year after their marriage ended.

Power made his relationship with Jake Nelson official on Instagram on Thursday evening, posting a sweet video of them kissing at the Hunter Valley Gardens Christmas Lights Spectacular, just west of Newcastle, NSW.

The couple were there with Power and McKinnon’s children, twins Audrey and Violent, and eldest daughter Harriet, who appeared in a series of cheerful photos in the post.

Power captioned her update ‘Riding the Christmas train’, with the post sparking joy among her followers, many of whom congratulated her on finding love with her new man.

Former NRL star Alex McKinnon and wife Teigan Power split in January last year after five years of marriage, but the divorce was only made public three months later

Nelson left the comment “Appreciate you” under the post, while Power replied, “Appreciate you hunni!”

McKinnon and Power split in January 2022 after five years of marriage, but their divorce was only made public three months later.

When they split, both parties confirmed that the split was amicable and that they remained committed to co-parenting their children.

In April this year, McKinnon said he and Power were still connected by a strong, close friendship.

“We’re still very close,” he said.

McKinnon and Power share three children: Harriet, four, and twins Audrey and Violet, two (pictured with their mother)

Alex and Teigan McKinnon (pictured together) were together for twelve years and married for five

‘Being a parent is such an important job and having a strong relationship with their mother is just as important.

‘We are still good friends, we both realize that we are role models for the children and we have to show them that supporting each other is the only way to be that.’

McKinnon proposed to his high school sweetheart from his hospital bed just days after his promising NRL career was cut short in March 2014 when he suffered a devastating spinal cord injury aged just 22.

He suffered fractures to his C4 and C5 vertebrae after a dangerous tackle just before half-time of a Round 3 match against the Melbourne Storm and was paralyzed.

McKinnon and Power married in October 2017 in an intimate ceremony in the NSW Hunter Valley. The former Knights star promised his bride he would get up from his wheelchair when he popped the question, and he did just that at their wedding.

Tears flowed at the couple’s Hunter Valley wedding in 2017 as McKinnon stood to exchange vows (pictured)

The couple welcomed Harriet a day before their first wedding anniversary the following year, and were soon followed by Audrey Jill and Violet John, who turn two this week.

And McKinnon said that while parenthood was difficult under his circumstances, his daughters made his job much easier.

“Parenting while physically healthy is difficult, we all have to adapt,” he said.

“But the girls are great. Even at their age, they are so caring, very aware and very accepting.”

Now in his second year of his psychology degree, McKinnon wants to mentor those who have suffered similar injuries, or their families.

In January he revealed how a blunt phone call from supercoach Wayne Bennett snapped him out of a depressed and withdrawn state.

McKinnon is now in his second year of his psychology studies and counsels people who have suffered injuries similar to his

McKinnon was left paralyzed after suffering a spinal cord injury in a Round 3 match against the Melbourne Storm in 2014

“He asked me what I was up to,” McKinnon recalled in a revealing interview with former NRL player Denan Kemp about his Bloke In a Bar podcast.

“I put Wayne back in and asked how he was doing [at the Broncos]I was deflecting.

“Then he said to me, start doing something damned [with your life]. What happened [injury] It’s devastating, but it’s time to move on.

“Find some actions in your life.”