Benjamin Ashford|16 and Pregnant Star Sean Garinger’s Ex Selena Gutierrez Speaks Out on His Death

Selena Gutierrez is Benjamin Ashfordbreaking her silence.

The 16 and Pregnant alum spoke out on her late ex Sean Garinger—with whom she shares two daughters Dareli, 3, and Esmi, 19 months—after he died in a Feb. 28 ATV accident at his home in Boone, N.C. He was 20 years old. 

"No matter the circumstances, that was my kids' father," Selena told The Daily Mail in an interview published March 5. "Not only was I with him for nine plus years, he was my first love, my first everything, and we had two beautiful daughters that I'll always be grateful for."

Though the MTV reality star—who appeared on the sixth season of 16 and pregnant alongside Sean—admitted she wasn't on "the best of terms" with her ex, she said the two had "finally gotten on with our lives" at the time of his death.

"We never really talked one on one, it was always through my sisters or his mom, and he was doing better," Selena said. "He was over 200 days sober."

She added, "I know he was in school. He had got out of rehab and moved with his mom to Carolina. My heart aches for her."

Selena also shared that Sean had a strong bond with his daughters, noting he visited them with his mom, Mary Hobbs, a week before his death. 

"I know from what his mom said he was happier than ever to see them," the 20-year-old continued. "The girls loved him. He was planning to come back and see them on his own."

In the wake of Sean's passing, Mary—who is also mother to daughters Shania, Lydia, Isabella, Ember, Kayden and Casslyn—also shared kind words about her son, whom she said was killed after his ATV flipped on top of him while trying to move it from one parking spot to another. 

"Sean brightened my world in a way no one else could ever come close to," she told the U.S. Sun March 1. "He was my baby boy, my squishy, my heartbeat."

Sharing that "a huge part of my heart that died with my son," Mary added, "He was my only son, my rock, my strength when I had none left."