On Father’s Day, Dakota Mortensen posted an emotional Instagram tribute to his 2-year-old son Ever Mortensen, thanking fans as his domestic violence scandal and ongoing custody battle with Taylor Frankie Paul’s ex continue.
Dakota Mortensen didn’t start his Father’s Day post with headlines or arguments. He started it with his son.
On Sunday. in a series of Instagram photos featuring 2-year-old Ever Mortensen. Taylor Frankie Paul’s ex-boyfriend and baby daddy shared a tribute that was equal parts celebration and quiet insistence that one bond still matters most. “Thank you for making me a dad,” he wrote. “Nothing in my life has ever meant more to me than being your father.”.
He continued: “From the moment you came into this world you gave my life a purpose I never knew I could even have. You’ve taught me more than I could ever teach you. You’ve shown me patience, unconditional love, and what truly matters in life. Every day I wake up wanting to be a better man because of you.”.
In the same post, Dakota acknowledged the turbulence surrounding him. Over the past months, he said, he’s faced “some of the hardest moments” of his life. And yet he placed Ever at the center of everything that carried him through.
“These past months have brought some of the hardest moments of my life, but they’ve also brought some of the most meaningful,” he wrote. “Through it all one thing has never changed my love for you.”
He told his son. “Being your dad is the greatest blessing I could ever ask for and I will never stop showing up for you. supporting you. and loving you with everything I have.” Dakota added that Ever “already can light up every room you walk into with your cute laugh and your personality. ” and said. “You bring joy to everyone around you.”.
He also looked ahead. promising to stay present as Ever grows: “I can’t wait to watch you grow and chase every dream that comes your way. I’ll be there cheering you on through every chapter of your life. Everything I do is with you in mind. My focus is on being the father you deserve and building the future you deserve. I pray that one day you’ll fully understand how deeply you are loved.”.
Dakota’s post also turned toward the people who reached out after the domestic dispute controversy. The 33-year-old reality star thanked those who offered support to him and his son during “this season of our lives.”
“And to everyone who has shown kindness, support, and love to me and my son during this season of our lives, thank you,” he wrote. “It has meant more than you’ll ever know. I love you, buddy. Always.”
His Father’s Day message lands against a backdrop of an ongoing domestic violence scandal and an ongoing custody battle with The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives queen bee Taylor Frankie Paul—an emotional reality that Dakota chose not to center with details, but still couldn’t avoid entirely.
For many viewers, the contrast with Taylor Frankie Paul’s earlier Mother’s Day tribute was hard to miss. The post referenced in the piece notes that her Mother’s Day tribute was “all about calling out Mikayla Matthews instead,” even as Dakota’s Father’s Day words focused tightly on Ever.
Dakota Mortensen Ever Mortensen Father’s Day Taylor Frankie Paul domestic violence scandal custody battle Instagram tribute The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives