Mormon Wives Star Mikayla Matthews Starts Over in Hawaii to Put Her Health First

Mikayla Matthews just did what most of us daydream about mid-scroll: she left Utah for Hawaii in the middle of a gnarly health spiral. Not for a vacation, she says, but to actually try to feel better. And yes, she brought two of her four kids, a giant suitcase, and a $200 overweight baggage fee along for the ride.

What kicked this off

The 26-year-old star of The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives has been open about her health on the show and on social. She shares four kids with husband Jace Terry. The two announced their separation during season 4, which aired in March, citing intimacy issues, but they still spent time together with the kids in California in April. So, things are complicated, but functional enough for family time.

The move, in her words

On Wednesday, April 29, Mikayla posted an Instagram video titled "Travel with me to heal my skin!" and revealed she was leaving Utah for Hawaii to keep chasing answers. She documented the airport chaos, including the $200 fee for that oversized suitcase, then landed at the Westin Maui. She admitted she had a couple of flare-ups from stress right away, but the vibe was basically: I made it, I needed this, let’s go.

Why Hawaii, and what she is actually dealing with

Mikayla has been talking about chronic inflammatory response syndrome, or CIRS. That’s essentially when your innate immune system gets stuck in overdrive and starts throwing symptoms at multiple parts of the body at once. For her, skin issues are front and center.

Here’s the thing: she already road-tested getting out of Utah. She spent three weeks in California and five days in Costa Rica, then came back to Utah and almost immediately felt her skin react. In an April 22 video she said she was terrified to return because a month away had made her feel closer to normal. Back home, it was back to survival mode. Her words boiled down to this: in California and Costa Rica she was living; in Utah, just getting by.

Next stop: Europe, allegedly for detox

Hawaii is not the final destination. Mikayla says she wants to head to Switzerland for a detox retreat. So the islands are more like a reset button before the big Europe play.

She knows it’s a privilege, and she is trying to share it

"I think every single day how grateful I am to be in the position that I’m in. The stress of having to heal your body and having to worry about taking care of your kids or paying your bills — it’s just so overwhelming."

Because she can move quickly and pay for treatment, she says she wants to bring one follower who’s also dealing with chronic illness to that European detox retreat. Her offer: she will cover the flight and the treatment at the same center she’s going to, and she put a link in her bio so people can share what they’re going through.

The quick timeline

• March: Season 4 of Secret Lives of Mormon Wives airs; Mikayla and Jace announce their separation amid intimacy issues.
• Early April: Despite the split, they spend time together with their kids in California.
• April 22: Back in Utah after 3 weeks in California and 5 days in Costa Rica, Mikayla says she’s terrified to return because her flares eased while she was gone, and her skin reacted almost immediately once home.
• April 29: She posts "Travel with me to heal my skin!", leaves Utah with two of her four kids, pays a $200 bag fee, and checks into the Westin Maui. A few stress flares, but she’s set on positive vibes.
• Next: Plans to head to Switzerland for a detox retreat and bring one follower along on her dime.

It’s a lot: a cross-ocean move, a very specific diagnosis, a public separation, and now an open invitation to join her on a pricey wellness trip. But that’s Mikayla right now — documenting it all as it happens and trying to turn her good fortune into something that helps someone else.