But those close to the couple say that they have put in a lot of work to fix their issues, and things are looking hopeful. An insider who’s spoken to West recently tells WHO that the rapper is doing well and “couldn’t stop talking” about his wife, calling her “the sweetest thing.”
“Kim and Kanye are in a great place,” a second source confirms. “They are just so happy. He’s doing really great.”
“They went through a really rough time there for awhile,” says an additional source close to West. “It was really touch and go. She was dealing with the robbery and all that came after, and she felt like he wasn’t there for her. He was going through his issues around the holidays, and he felt like she wasn’t prioritising him.”
“They both had moments where they were like, ‘Is this even worth it?'” the source continues. “But the answer was always, ‘Yes, this is worth it.’ So they both chose to fight.”
The result: a floundering marriage. “Things were just awful between the two of them, but also with both of them separately,” the source close to West, 39, says. “It was like for the first time, they just weren’t happy. I don’t think they were happy separately, and I know they weren’t happy together.”
The source tells WHO that Kardashian West, 36, was willing to fight for the marriage. “She kept saying, ‘If we can get through this, we’ll be stronger than ever,'” says the insider. “They never fell out of love with each other, but it was just one of those times where marriage is hard work, and you have to push through the pain.”
It seems that the struggle has paid off. “It’s like the two of them were dangling on a rope off a cliff, and they used every single thing they had to find solid ground,” the insider says. “They clawed their way back to somewhere a lot more healthy, and they’re still clawing their way back. There are good days and there are bad days.”
And while things are still up in the air, the marriage seems to be weathering the storm. “If they called and said it was over, it wouldn’t come out of the blue,” the West source explains. “But on the other hand, it wouldn’t shock me if the two of them are still married in 20 years. Their chances are way better now than they used to be.”
A Kardashian family source agrees that matters are improving. “Kim has her eye on the future and has worked hard to move forward,” the source previously told WHO. “She’s really focused on what’s ahead, in her work and in her marriage. She and Kanye have been able to process things and move past them and are very ready for what’s next and not be so focused on the mess that was last year. They’re in a much better place.”
This article originally appeared on PEOPLE.