Vault: He Wants To Win Over His Ex Wife!

Summary

The Bert Show – "Vault: He Wants To Win Over His Ex Wife!"

Episode Date: February 17, 2026

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Episode Overview

This episode centers on the recurring Bert Show segment "The One That Got Away." In this installment, the cast helps listener Devin, who is wrestling with the desire to reconnect with her ex-husband after years apart. The show features live call-ins, listener advice, and a touching exploration of regret, love, and whether people—and relationships—really change with time.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Introduction to "The One That Got Away" Segment

• The hosts explain the premise: reconnecting listeners with someone they feel may have been "the one" who slipped away.
• Reference to a prior unsuccessful attempt at helping someone reach out to their "one that got away."

2. Devin's Story: Regret & Reconnection

• Background:
  • Devin (on voice disguiser) shares her history with her ex-husband—lifelong friends from a small town, childhood sweethearts.
  • Pressured by family and community expectations, they married young (age 21).
  • Relocating to Atlanta, their lives and ambitions diverged, leading to a nasty divorce that embarrassed both families.
• Devin’s Current Feelings:
  • Devin expresses that with maturity, she now recognizes how young and unprepared they were, and blames the pressure for their marital problems.
  • She misses her ex deeply: "He was my best friend. I feel like now that I'm older... he really might have been the one." (04:18)
  • Hesitant to reach out directly due to the past's messiness and family embarrassment.

3. Reflections on Love Lost and "What Ifs"

• Devin compares her relationship with her ex to all subsequent ones: "Everybody that I’ve dated, it’s just nobody is... nobody’s like him... I haven’t found that with anybody else." (05:56)
• She admits to total disconnection from her ex since the split—no updates, no contact.

4. What Devin Wants

• She wants to know:
  • If he ever thinks about her in the same way (07:03)
  • If he ever wishes they’d gotten together at a later age
  • If he’s found love with anyone else
  • How his life and career have turned out

5. Listener Calls: Warnings and Encouragement

Megan's Perspective – A Word of Caution ([07:52])

• Megan advises against reaching out:

  "She ended up remarrying her ex husband... They immediately fell back into their old patterns... and the divorce that came later was messier than the first one."

• Warns that history often repeats, especially with "tight" relationships where it’s easy to revert emotionally.

Renee's Perspective – Take the Leap ([10:10])

• Renee insists Devin should reach out:

  "She doesn’t want to regret anything... You never want to live in regret, Devin."

• Highlights the value of taking a chance, especially if genuine love remains.

Heather's Perspective – It Can Work Out ([10:46])

• Shares her own story of breaking up with a fiancé at 20, then reuniting and now about to marry at 25:

  "It’s always worth a shot..." (11:19)

6. Facing the Possibility of Closure, Not Reunion

• The hosts urge Devin to consider: What if her ex is happily remarried, with kids, and moved on?
• Devin responds:

  "If that has happened, then I will just... get closure... Even if we could have closure and leave it on better terms... that would be enough." (11:53)

7. The Plan to Reconnect—With Safeguards

• Hosts propose finding her ex (assigning the pseudonym "Mike").
• Devin will come up with ten questions for her ex, to be asked anonymously—she can listen in but remain off the air.
• If signals are positive, they may connect directly later.

  "If you think there’s a green light there, who knows? We could put you guys on together if you want." (13:52)

• Devin agrees, affirming:

  "For me, it’s better knowing than not. You know, I’m definitely ready." (14:21)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Devin reflecting on youth and pressure:

  "We got married when we were 21, and it’s been a few years. Now that I’m older, I feel like he really might have been the one. And I really wish there wouldn’t have been so much pressure on us to get married at a young age." (04:18)

• Devin on what makes her ex special:

  "I knew him, you know, inside and out… I haven’t… found that with anybody else." (05:56)

• Megan’s warning:

  "They immediately fell back into their old patterns... the divorce that came later was messier than the first one." (08:36)

• Renee’s encouragement:

  "You never want to live in regret, Devin." (10:26)

• Devin’s readiness for closure:

  "If that has happened, then I will just—get closure. I mean, I’m hoping he’s not with somebody, cause I really do. I really do love him. But either way, I’m definitely ready." (11:53)

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Important Segment Timestamps

• Listener Devin’s story begins: 02:40
• Devin shares regrets/longing: 04:18
• Devin describes dating life post-divorce: 05:56
• Listener Megan offers a cautionary tale: 07:52
• Listener Renee encourages Devin: 10:10
• Listener Heather offers hope: 10:46
• Devin on seeking closure: 11:53
• Plan for anonymous questions established: 13:17
• Devin agrees to the next step: 14:21

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Tone & Style

The conversation is conversational, frank, teasing but compassionate—classic for "The Bert Show." Listeners and hosts alike swing between laughter and empathetic advice, earnestly invested in the outcome of Devin’s story. The call-in segment provides both cautionary and inspirational perspectives, keeping the focus squarely on humanity, vulnerability, and second chances.

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Summary

This episode delves into the sticky, sweet, and sometimes sour reality of reconnecting with "the one that got away." Devin, the caller, grapples with regret, hope, and uncertainty, supported by a chorus of both cautionary and uplifting stories from listeners. The Bert Show crew orchestrates a sensitive way forward—granting both a shot at reunion and a path to closure, reinforcing the show’s signature warmth and authenticity.

Transcript

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[Show Host (Possibly Tracy or Jeff)]

The Bird Show Jen, explain how the Bird show is the one that got away.

[Co-Host or Commentator]

Well, basically the way this works is we have just answered a couple of emails from our listeners who wanted to find the one that got away. And you know who that is. That's the person in your past you look back on as maybe the person you should have stayed with or worked it out with or maybe that was the right one. But now things have changed and your life has moved on and so is theirs. But you're kind of looking back on it with rose colored glasses and you're like, maybe that is the one I was supposed to be with. So the first time that happened didn't really work out so well for the first listener. He had gotten away very happily.

[Show Host (Possibly Tracy or Jeff)]

Yeah, he moved on. His life was great.

[Co-Host or Commentator]

He was doing just fine without her. And so we're gonna try it again this time you said it's with this Woman's ex husband.

[Show Host (Possibly Tracy or Jeff)]

Yeah. Now, normally it's. We put the offer out there with the thought that you couldn't find this person yourself, so we would go ahead and we would try to find them for you. So I'm not sure if this is the case with the ex husband or not, but here's Devin, and she's on the voice disguiser. Good morning.

[Devin (Caller with the ex-husband story)]

Good morning.

[Show Host (Possibly Tracy or Jeff)]

How are you today?

[Devin (Caller with the ex-husband story)]

I'm good. How are you guys?

[Show Host (Possibly Tracy or Jeff)]

Good. All right, this is interesting because we're talking.

[Co-Host or Commentator]

She's on the voice disguiser. Oh, really?

Really, really.

It doesn't sound all funky.

[Show Host (Possibly Tracy or Jeff)]

She is.

[Co-Host or Commentator]

That's good, though.

[Show Host (Possibly Tracy or Jeff)]

So we're talking about an ex husband here.

[Devin (Caller with the ex-husband story)]

Yes.

[Show Host (Possibly Tracy or Jeff)]

Okay.

[Devin (Caller with the ex-husband story)]

My ex husband, and we've known each other all our lives. I met him in elementary school, and we both grew up together in a small town. It was a very small town, and we were just best friends our whole life. And, you know, we dated in elementary school, stuff like that, but just, like, kid stuff. Then in high school, we started dating again and got really serious. And, you know, my mom got married when she was 18, and his parents got married when they were young, and everybody was just kind of like, when are you guys going to get married? It was just a lot of pressure, being from a small town, to get married at a young age. And we did. We got married. And it just. I felt a lot of pressure to get married, but I wanted to sort of please everybody, and I really didn't want to lose him. And so we ended up leaving our small town. We moved to Atlanta. And when we got to Atlanta, it just. Everything. Everything just kind of fell apart once we got away from our small town and stuff. And I really wanted to focus on a career, and my career takes me traveling around and stuff like that, and he just. He wanted to focus on his career, and it just kind of just sort of fell apart. And the thing is that it kind of got nasty. Our divorce was not pretty at all. And my mom's, like, real embarrassed that we got divorced in the first place because, again, you know, small towns, like, people talk, and everybody was talking about us getting div. And his family was embarrassed. And so, you know, the thing is, yeah, I could actually track him down. I could find him, and he ended up moving away from Atlanta, and I'm the one that stayed. But I just, you know, I didn't want to call his family because it's just. It was just such a nasty divorce. I didn't want to. You know, I just didn't want to Involve them in trying to find him again, because I'm afraid actually to call his parents because they. The whole thing was just messy. So it's just been on my mind because we did grow up together. And the truth is that I miss him. He was my best friend. And I feel like now that I'm older. We got married when we were 21, and it's been a few years. Now that I'm older, I feel like he really might have been the one. And I really wish there wouldn't have been so much pressure on us to get married at a young age. And I feel like if we had kind of held off and maybe dated other people first and stuff like that, I don't know. I just. I feel like that it was a mistake, and I just. I would love to find him again.

[Show Host (Possibly Tracy or Jeff)]

So if you. You think that if you met him at your current age.

[Devin (Caller with the ex-husband story)]

Yeah.

[Show Host (Possibly Tracy or Jeff)]

Then things would be totally different.

[Devin (Caller with the ex-husband story)]

I do. I do.

[Co-Host or Commentator]

Or if you reconnected because you guys have both grown up so much.

Well, you've grown up.

[Devin (Caller with the ex-husband story)]

I mean, I'm a totally different person than I was, you know, when I was 21, and I assuming he is, too. And it just. It's just a shame because we were just very immature in the way that we handled the divorce and just said a lot of stupid things and things that weren't true. I know from my end, and I just. I really want to. I wish I could take it back.

[Co-Host or Commentator]

You know, I mean, I know that we don't know how much time has passed.

What.

What is your relationship status or, you know, experience been since the divorce?

[Devin (Caller with the ex-husband story)]

Everybody that I've dated, it's just nobody is. Nobody's like him, you know, and the thing is with him is that, you know, we grew up together, so we were really, really best friends. And a lot of the guys I've dated, there's not that friendship there. It's not as deep, you know, and they just want to date you from one thing, and then that's it. And, you know, things with him were different. I just. I knew him, you know, inside and out, and I haven't. I just haven't found that with anybody else.

[Show Host (Possibly Tracy or Jeff)]

So what is the last information that you found out about him? Do you know what state he was living in, or has there been a complete cutoff?

[Devin (Caller with the ex-husband story)]

It's just been a complete cutoff. I really, you know, like I said, I've just been so scared to even call his family, and I don't really want to bring it up to my mom, so I Mean, I know his family's number, so it's been really tempting just to call them and see, but I just. I don't want to do it because it's. I know they're going to freak out, and my mom.

[Co-Host or Commentator]

I understand that.

[Show Host (Possibly Tracy or Jeff)]

Yeah. So if you had him on the line, what questions do you want answered?

[Devin (Caller with the ex-husband story)]

I would just want to ask. I would just want to ask him if he ever thinks about me the same way that I think about him. And if he wishes, you know, we got together at a later age, too, and just if he, you know, I guess if he's seen anybody or if he's ever fell in love with anybody else.

[Show Host (Possibly Tracy or Jeff)]

Are you curious, like, career wise, did he stay in the same career, stay in the same state?

[Devin (Caller with the ex-husband story)]

I'd be curious to know if he stayed in the same state, career wise. You know, he was very driven. I'm sure he's successful at whatever, you know, whatever he set out to do. I know he's going to be successful. So that's not really even a question because he was always a really. He always followed through with what he said he was going to do. So I'm sure he's successful. I just. I'm just more curious about, you know, the relationship part.

[Show Host (Possibly Tracy or Jeff)]

Our virtual listener, Megan here says, be careful what you ask for. Hey, Megan, go ahead. You're on Q100.

[Caller Megan]

Hey, good morning, sweetheart. Please don't do it. I can't tell you how similar your situation is to a good friend of mine. It's eerie how close it is. And she ended up remarrying her ex husband. Same situation, small town, got married at 18 originally, and, you know, many, many years later, they reconnected. They thought exactly what you were thinking, were older, we're more mature. They immediately fell back into their old patterns. It's kind of like when you connect with a good friend from high school, you kind of fall back into that giggly thing. Same thing with relationships. At least how she found it. And the divorce that came later was messier than the first one.

[Show Host (Possibly Tracy or Jeff)]

So you're saying, megan, people don't change. I mean, you're the same at 21 as you are at 35 or whatever.

[Caller Megan]

No, I'm not saying you're the same, but I'm saying if you have a very tight relationship, sometimes it's just easy to fall back into that. It's like when you're with your parents and suddenly you feel like you're 12 again.

[Show Host (Possibly Tracy or Jeff)]

Does it feel that way to you, Devin? Does it feel like, all right, things haven't worked out with any guy since then. So maybe my safety net is my ex, and that's why I'm trying to track him down.

[Devin (Caller with the ex-husband story)]

I just. I don't know if he's. I don't think he's my safety net. I mean, I understand what. I understand what the. What the girl saying that just called in. I can see how that might happen. I just. It's really been on my heart, and I just. I really want to. I really want to try. I feel like every single person that I've dated that there's something missing. And we did. Even though we were young and our divorce was terrible, I don't. We did have amazing times together when we dated and when we. You know, when we were together. So I feel like even if we did get back into a pattern, it would be a pattern. That would be. The divorce itself was what was nasty because we were just immature. But I hear what she's saying, though. I understand that, But I don't know. I really. I really still want to find him.

[Co-Host or Commentator]

And I would say that as many stories as there are of that last caller, there would be the opposite side of the coin, too. Couples that got divorced, got back together, and stayed together.

[Show Host (Possibly Tracy or Jeff)]

Well, here's one of them at least giving you some optimism. Hey, Renee.

[Devin (Caller with the ex-husband story)]

Hey.

[Caller Renee]

How you doing?

[Show Host (Possibly Tracy or Jeff)]

All right. How are you?

[Caller Renee]

I'm doing good, man.

[Show Host (Possibly Tracy or Jeff)]

What's your advice? Can you turn your radio down for us?

[Caller Renee]

Oh, yeah, I can.

[Show Host (Possibly Tracy or Jeff)]

Okay. What's your advice for Devin?

[Caller Renee]

My advice for her is I think she should go and try to find him. She doesn't want to regret anything. In the end, it sounds like she really, like, is in love with him and really wants to change, and she's changed already, and she feels like he's changing. They should go for it. You never want to live in regret, Devin.

[Show Host (Possibly Tracy or Jeff)]

Those are pretty strong words. Do you still love him?

[Devin (Caller with the ex-husband story)]

I do. And that's. That's one of the reasons why I want to find him again. Because I just. I've known him my whole life, and he's a big part of my life, and you can't. You know, I just can't change that. And I think about him every day.

[Show Host (Possibly Tracy or Jeff)]

Hey, Heather. Good Morning. You're on Q100.

[Caller Megan]

Hi. I have an opposite opinion, too. It was a really similar situation for me. I started dating my fiance when I was 18. We met in college, and we actually broke up when I was 20. And then here we are, we're 25, and we're getting married Friday. Thank you. It's just, you know, I mean, it's a lot different because we never expected that we'd ever get back together. We had an interesting breakup, too. It was not nice. But, you know, it's always worth a.

[Show Host (Possibly Tracy or Jeff)]

Shot, so it can happen.

[Co-Host or Commentator]

I think I just. Because with anybody, you want to take the advice you agree with. So I'm sure in your heart, your heart's fluttering, thinking, oh, my God, we might, you know, I get remarried.

[Devin (Caller with the ex-husband story)]

Oh, it's Friday.

[Co-Host or Commentator]

We can have a double wedding.

Exactly.

[Show Host (Possibly Tracy or Jeff)]

He already got the chapel. January 17th in Vegas.

[Co-Host or Commentator]

But I just want you to be prepared. What if, you know, we find him and he's married with children, and he's moved on? Are you prepared for that and ready to move on? Because I wonder if you've ever given any guy a chance except for him.

[Devin (Caller with the ex-husband story)]

You know what? I thought about that. I thought about him being married to someone else with kids, and I. I'm ready to find out. I mean, if. If that has happened, then I will just. It'll be, you know, good closure for me, and I'll just. I'll. You know, I'm going to try and move on. I mean, I'm really scared. I'm very, very scared that, you know, that is a possibility. But I'm. But it's okay. I mean, I'm ready to find out. I mean, I'll still love him even if he's with somebody else, and, you know, I'll always love him. And I just. Even if we could have closure and, like, you know, just leave it on better terms than what it was, and even that would be. Then that would be enough. I mean, I'm hoping he's not with somebody, because I really do. I really do love him. But either way, I'm definitely ready.

[Co-Host or Commentator]

Your last few boyfriends, you break up with them or they break up with you.

[Devin (Caller with the ex-husband story)]

One broke up with me, and in the last couple ones, I've broken up with them.

[Co-Host or Commentator]

And how long ago was the last breakup?

[Devin (Caller with the ex-husband story)]

The last one was about seven months.

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[Show Host (Possibly Tracy or Jeff)]

All right, so here's what we can do. What's his name? Or do you want to assign him a name?

[Devin (Caller with the ex-husband story)]

I'd rather not say, because, you know, I don't want to say the town. I don't want to say the name, because it's like I said, I'd rather not, if that's okay.

[Show Host (Possibly Tracy or Jeff)]

All right, let's give him a name. Mike.

[Devin (Caller with the ex-husband story)]

Okay.

[Show Host (Possibly Tracy or Jeff)]

All right, so you emailed us a while ago, and I can tell you this, that Tracy's so good at finding These guys. And she has found him.

[Devin (Caller with the ex-husband story)]

Okay.

[Show Host (Possibly Tracy or Jeff)]

I think she probably used the phone number that you supplied because you said you had his family's phone number, right?

[Devin (Caller with the ex-husband story)]

Yeah. Yeah, I do.

[Show Host (Possibly Tracy or Jeff)]

All right, here's what we. The offer that we'll make to you is we want to give you 24 hours to think of questions that you really want answered. Like 10 questions that you really want answered from Mike. Jeff will compile that list with you off the air. And then tomorrow we'll get Mike on and we will ask him these 10 questions. You won't be on the phone with us at the same time. He'll never know that it's you calling. If you want to remain anonymous.

[Devin (Caller with the ex-husband story)]

Okay.

[Show Host (Possibly Tracy or Jeff)]

And you could just listen into the conversation, hear how he answers the 10 questions, and then we can take it from there. If you think there's a green light there, who knows? We could put you guys on together if you want. If you never want to talk to him again, you never want him to know it was you that called. We can handle it that way also.

[Devin (Caller with the ex-husband story)]

Okay. Yeah, I would love to do that.

[Show Host (Possibly Tracy or Jeff)]

So you're sure this is something you want to do? Because like these guys were saying, you may find out, I mean, worst case scenario, that he's really, really happy and everything's going fine in his life. And that's going to hurt to hear.

[Devin (Caller with the ex-husband story)]

Yeah, no, I know, I know, but I really. For me, it's better knowing than not. You know, I'm definitely ready.

[Show Host (Possibly Tracy or Jeff)]

Okay, well, let me go ahead and we already have your contact info. So Jeff will call you later on or Tracy will call you later on today, and we'll figure out the 10 questions that you really want answered. And we'll do it tomorrow morning right around the same time.

[Devin (Caller with the ex-husband story)]

Okay? Okay.

[Show Host (Possibly Tracy or Jeff)]

Okay.

[Devin (Caller with the ex-husband story)]

All right, thanks, guys.

[Show Host (Possibly Tracy or Jeff)]

All right, thank you. Hold on. She sounds so excited.

[Co-Host or Commentator]

I know.

I know she is excited. I'm just surprised she hasn't heard about his status because they're both from the same small town, I think, because I'm not even from a small town, but my mom and dad still live there. I hear the gossip on everybody, especially my ex boyfriend whose parents still live there. I know all about them. I know what they're doing, I know what's going on, all that kind of stuff. So I'm just surprised she doesn't know yet.

But her, it might be good for her because if he doesn't have a status, like if there are no updates, it might not be any different, you know what I'm saying? Like that if he got married again. That would probably be big enough to come back to her. Or even engaged. He would probably be big enough to come back to her, but because she's heard nothing. Yeah, that works in her favor.

That's a good point.

[Show Host (Possibly Tracy or Jeff)]

So he's already agreed to come on. Yeah, he doesn't know who it's for. I don't even think he knows what city that we're calling from. And he's willing to answer the question. So we just have to come up with that list.

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