Moesha star Sheryl Lee Ralph became a mother during her first marriage to Eric Maurice.

The pair had tied the knot in 1990 and welcomed their first kid, son Etienne Maurice, in 1992. Three years later, they gave birth to their second child, a daughter named Ivy-Victoria Maurice, in 1995. 

Ralph seemed to live the best of her life with two children and a flourishing career, but that was just from the surface. In reality, her marriage was crumbling, and the husband-wife duo parted ways after a divorce in 2001. 

Divorce Led to Depression

Ralph admittedly had the worst years of her life after the divorce. She suffered from depression and self-doubt.

With passing days, the situation worsened with sleepless nights, anger, budding stress, and anxiety. "The real blow came when my hair started falling out," the mother-of-two recalled in a blog for Oprah.

A turning point came when Ralph one day saw herself in the mirror. At first, the bags under her eyes and her unattended hair made the actress cry her eyes out. She felt pathetic because she knew she had to be at her best for her two children, but on the contrary, she was at her worst. 

But just then, the twinkle in her eyes made Ralph realize she was still alive. The Connecticut native knew her divorce wasn't her death, and she knew she had to start the journey of healing right there and then.

Sheryl Lee Ralph Married Again in 2005

Ralph moved on from her painful divorce one step at a time. And the journey became smoother as she fell in love with Pennsylvania State Senator Vincent Hughes, who had also experienced a failed marriage. 

The pair bonded over their troublesome past and found solace in each other's company. So without delay, the duo got engaged in 2003.

They married in a lavish wedding at the First African Methodist Episcopal Church in Los Angeles on July 30, 2005. Around 425 guests, including Patti LaBelle, Mablean Ephriam, and Loretta Devine, attended the ceremony. 

Ralph and Hughes have been going strong since the wedding, and both of them reportedly have a good relationship with each other's kids. 

"When it comes to blending your family, you have to figure out who you are in the relationship," Ralph told Essence in October 2020. The talented actress even mentioned that respecting kids' perspectives was necessary to blend the families successfully.

About Sheryl Lee Ralph's Children 

Both of Ralph's kids have grown up to be gorgeous, independent people.

Her son Etienne graduated from Drexel University in May 2015 and has become a film director. As per his Instagram bio, he is the owner of the Walk Good Productions.  

As for her daughter, Ivy-Victoria, affectionately called CoCo, is a model, blogger, and fashion influencer. She also has her clothing brand, named The House of Ivy.

Without a doubt, Ralph is living the best of her life at 64. And she is, without question, proud of her children. 

"Thank you GOD for the children you have given me!" the veteran actress wrote as a caption for her Mother's Day post on Instagram. The post featured the new and old pictures of her with her beloved son and daughter.