Heather B. Armstrong, born Heather Hamilton on July 19, 1975, hailed from Salt Lake City, Utah, and made a significant impact as an American blogger. Adopting the moniker Dooce, she humorously derived her pseudonym from a lighthearted incident during her online conversations with former colleagues, where she struggled to spell “dude” swiftly.
In this article, we delve into the life of Heather Armstrong and explore her personal life including her husband, boyfriend, her kids, the highs and lows of her blogging career, her personal struggles, and the impact she made on the digital landscape. Unfortunately, her story ended tragically with her untimely demise in May 2023.
Know About Heather‘s Boyfriend, Pete Ashdown
On May 9, 2023, the world was devastated by the news of Heather Armstrong’s death by suicide. Her boyfriend, Pete Ashdown, revealed that she had been sober for over 18 months but had recently relapsed into alcoholism. The relapse had a severe impact on Heather’s well-being, leading to a downward spiral that ultimately resulted in her tragic demise. The exact cause of death has not been disclosed.
Pete Ashdown, the romantic partner of Heather Armstrong, is a 56-year-old individual who previously ran as a Democratic candidate for the US Senate representing Salt Lake City, Utah. He pursued his studies at both Salt Lake Community College and The University of Utah.
Heather Armstrong and Pete Ashdown have been in a relationship since 2017, having found love after their previous marriages. Prior to their romantic involvement, both Heather and Pete had experienced marriages of their own. Pete, who was previously married to Robin Ashdown, is the father of two daughters and a son from his previous union.
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Heather Was Previously Married To Jon Armstrong
Heather Armstrong‘s first marriage was to web designer Jon Armstrong, with whom she had two children: Leta Elise (born in 2004) and Marlo Iris (born in 2009). Their divorce in 2012 came as a surprise to many, as Heather had rarely written about any marital difficulties. However, behind the scenes, the couple had been undergoing counseling for years due to Jon’s controlling behavior.
As social media gained momentum, the readership of Dooce started to decline in the mid-2010s. Simultaneously, Heather faced personal challenges in her marriage to web designer Jon Armstrong. In 2012, the couple announced their separation, surprising many of their followers who had perceived their relationship positively. Heather later revealed that the couple had undergone counseling for years, citing Jon’s controlling behavior as a major issue.
Amid the divorce and increasing criticism online, Heather faced a period of depression that led her to retreat from regular blogging. However, after undergoing successful experimental treatment in 2017, she regained her strength and resumed posting, albeit to a smaller audience. Heather also ventured into the world of influencer marketing, although she expressed reservations about the practice.
Following the divorce, Jon moved to New York City with a new partner, while the Armstrong children spent summers with him.
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Know About Heather Armstrong’s Dooce: A Blogging Phenomenon
Heather Armstrong’s journey as a prominent blogger began when she created her blog, “Dooce,” which stemmed from her amusing inability to spell “dude” correctly during online chats with her co-workers. Initially, her blog became a platform for her witty and satirical accounts of her experiences at a dot-com startup. However, her unfiltered writing led to her termination from the job in 2002, as her colleagues discovered her blog and felt exposed to her content.
Despite losing her job, Heather continued her blogging endeavors, shifting her focus to her experiences as a parent and the challenges she faced. Her raw and relatable stories struck a chord with readers, and her audience steadily grew. By 2004, she began running ads on her blog, and her monthly viewership skyrocketed to 8.5 million, generating over $100,000 annually from banner ads alone. Heather’s authenticity and humor resonated with readers, leading to her appearance on “Oprah” and recognition by Forbes as one of the “Most Influential Women in Media” in 2009.