“My husband knew I was going. He encouraged it” - Throwback to when Alex Rodriguez egged ex-wife Cynthia to leave town after reports of his alleged affair with Madonna surfaced

Rumors of a supposed liaison between Alex Rodriguez and pop star Madonna became widely circulated in 2008. Cynthia Scurtis, then wife of the former New York Yankees legend, revealed at the time that A-Rod backed her decision to leave the city.

Rodriguez and Cynthia tied the knot in 2002 and reportedly split in 2008 following reports of the baseball star's alleged affair with the "Queen of Pop," Madonna.

When the news surfaced in the media, Cynthia and Rodriguez's lives were in shambles. They were heavily scrutinized by the paparazzi and Cynthia grew so tired of all the intrusion that she decided to fly to Paris to bypass all the ruckus.

In a People magazine article published in 2008, Scurtis explained that Rodriguez encouraged her to leave town for privacy.

"My husband knew I was going. He encouraged it."

Cynthia added that she needed a change of environment.

"I needed to get away. With clear-headed friends. To breathe. To think how I’m going to handle my kids. I just needed a little time.”

"After Alex Rodriguez and his ex-wife, Cynthia Scurtis, split in 2008, they weren’t always on the best terms." - US Weekly

Scurtis also revealed that her family was shocked to hear about her split with Rodriguez.

“Mine’s a close-knit family. Never one divorce on my side. My parents, aunts, uncles are devastated.”

Surprisingly, neither Alex Rodriguez nor Madonna have ever publicly acknowledged a relationship.

Alex Rodriguez and his ex-wife Cynthia Scurtis now share a cordial relationship

Alex Rodriguez with his ex-wife Cynthia Scurtis

Although Rodriguez and Cynthia's marriage ended on a messy note, their bond has matured over the years. Now, they co-parent their children, Natasha Rodriguez (17) and Ella Rodriguez (14), and even go on vacations together. The former Yankees star also shares an amicable relationship with Cynthia's current husband, Angel Nicolas.

"Mi Familia." - A-Rod

Rodriguez made an effort to wish Scurtis a happy birthday on Instagram and called her "a wonderful mother and role model" to their daughters.

"Today I am celebrating someone very special in my life. Someone who continues to make a difference in my daughters’ lives every day and has my eternal respect and admiration. A very happy birthday to you, Cynthia!! Here’s to you on your special day, Cynthia. Thank you for giving me the greatest two gifts any man could have." - Alex Rodriguez

It is wonderful to see Cynthia and A-Rod leaving behind their issues and coming together as a team for the sake of their daughters. Truly, they set an example for the rest of the world. Kudos!