Sawyer Hemsley, founder of Crumbl Cookies who serves as the company’s Chief Branding Officer, came out as gay late Monday night after various videos and social media threads publicly discussed his sexuality based on the entrepreneur’s online presence.

Hemsley wrote in an Instagram post shared on Monday, August 25:

“Over the past little while, there have been people online trying to define me, twist things, and share conversations in ways that feel harmful. Instead of letting others write my story, I want to share it in my own words.

The truth is, over the past few years I’ve come to understand and accept that I’m gay. It’s taken me a long time to really process this part of myself and even longer to feel comfortable enough to say it out loud. For most of my life, I didn’t have the clarity to answer the questions or respond to the rumors. Coming to terms with it has been overwhelming and, at times, scary — but it has also brought me peace, joy, and authenticity that I wouldn’t trade for anything.

I grew up with values and beliefs that I still deeply love and respect, which made this journey more complicated. But I remain grateful for my foundation, even as I’ve worked to embrace this truth about myself.

I know some people may have questions or even judgments, but my hope is that kindness, empathy, and love will lead the way. I’ve learned so much through this process — about strength, compassion, and the importance of living authentically.

Hemsley concluded the post writing, “At the end of the day, I’m deeply thankful: for the opportunities I’ve had, for the people who support me, and for the chance to live and share my story. It’s a journey of growth and honesty, and one I’ll never stop being grateful for.”

A feature published on the Utah State Magazine wrote about Hemsley’s upbringing as a Mormon.

“Growing up in Southeastern Idaho, Sawyer Hemsley served as the student body president at Preston High School. He got involved in student politics again at Utah State after serving a mission in Mexico for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, but following a stint as student events vice president, Hemsley took an even bigger swing and ran for student body president in the spring of 2017.”

Hemsley cofounded Crumbl Cookies alongside Jason McGowan in 2017 and opened the company’s first store in Logan, Utah. Since then, Crumbl has grown to have “more than 1,000 locations across the United States, Puerto Rico and Canada,” The New York Times reports.

Crumbl also has a huge social media following that includes 10.6 million followers (along with 98.9 million likes) on TikTok, 6.3 million followers on Instagram, 3.9 million followers on Facebook, and nearly 3 million subscribers on YouTube.