“I love you so much, and you have been one of my best friends for the past year and a half, and I would never do anything on purpose to hurt you,” she said. “And I love our community, and I want you all to know from the bottom of my heart: I apologize for what I said. I know it was wrong, and I am so sorry.”

Next, it was Hackett’s turn to speak.

“Alex, thank you very much,” he said, tapping her knee as he addressed her. “I do accept your apology, and I do appreciate your apology.”

Hackett turned to the camera.

“I want to let everybody out there know that Alex is one of my best friends,” he said, explaining that they often talk outside of work and share personal matters about their lives. Hackett said that he appreciated her.

“I do love you,” he said. “All that being said, and Alex would be the first to say this to you. What she said yesterday was wrong. It cut deep for me, and it cut deep for a lot of you in the community.”