Bruce Jenner's first wife opens up about the moment he thought he was a woman

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Chrystie Crownover told GMA that Bruce revealed his 'true self' the year they were married in 1972
Chrystie told GMA that she has kept his secret for the past 43-years
Revealed she was shocked at first but was pleased he told her and 'never felt threatened'
Told GMA that she watched Friday's Diane Sawyer interview with Bruce
The Olympic champion and Chrystie have two children together and are grandparents

By James Nye For Daily Mail Online and Rachel Mcgrath For Mailonline

Published: 08:09 EST, 27 April 2015 | Updated: 14:28 EST, 27 April 2015

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Relief: Chrystie Crownover told GMA on Monday that she watched her ex-husband, Bruce Jenner's dramatic ABC Diane Sawyer interview with the Olympic athlete and their children

Bruce Jenner's first wife has shared the emotional moment her ex-husband told her he wanted to be a woman and how she kept his secret for 43-years.

Speaking to GMA in a tearful interview, Chrystie Crownover, the daughter of a Mormon minister, told how the Olympic champion first opened up to her when they married in 1972.

'I cant remember the exact words because it was such a shock to me,' said Chrystie, 63, who revealed she watched Friday's Diane Sawyer interview together with Bruce.

'He opened up his heart and confessed he had to share this deep dark secret. He had to be a woman.

'I was speechless, I didnt really know what to say. I was pleased that he shared that intimacy with me.

'It was hard to wrap your head around, he was such a manly man. He never indicated anything feminine in his demeanor.

'It didnt threaten me or our marriage. It wasnt really a threat, or a problem.'

Crownover told GMA that she was 'so relieved' the world finally knows Bruce's 'big, big, big dark secret'.

Bruce, who has a son Burt, 36 and a daughter Cassandra, 34, with Chrystie, revealed he identified as a woman during a prime time interview with Diane Sawyer on Friday night.

The 65-year-old told Sawyer that 'for all intents and purposes I am a woman' and 'can't live a lie any longer.'

The decathlete, who has been married three times and who has six biological children, married Chrystie straight out of school and told Sawyer she was the first person he trusted about his gender issues and his cross-dressing.

First love: Bruce married his college sweetheart Chrystie Crownover in 1972. The couple, who had a son Burt and a daughter Cassandra, separated when she was pregnant with their second child and later divorced. Chrystie was the first to learn about Bruce's gender confusion and has kept his secret. They are seen here at a gala event in New York City in May 1977 (left, and at home in 1977)

Sharing: Bruce Jenner sat down with ABC's Diane Sawyer to explain his decisions and to talk about the road he's traveled in his personal journey to live the way he believes he was born to do

When asked by GMA how she felt when Bruce introduce his 'real self' to the world on Friday night, Chrystie broke down in tears as she described watching the Diane Sawyer interview with Bruce and their children.

'That was kind of surreal. It was great because the family was together,' said a relieved Chrystie.

'I know its been painful for him.

'He was in pain, He was tearful at times, it broke my heart for him.

'I think it was cathartic to watch it together.'

Indeed, Crownover revealed to Access Hollywood that she, Bruce and his second wife Linda and all the Jenner kids (including Kendall and Kylie), watched the ABC special.

She said the atmospher was 'emotional', 'nervous' and 'tense'.

When asked how Bruce left, Crownover said he left in a rush.

'Bruce was in a big hurry. There wasn't much that was said'.

'It broke my heart' Bruce Jenner's first wife on emotional secret

Gold! Proud wife Chrystie, who'd supported Bruce's amateur athletic career through two summer Olympics, was there to see her husband break records and win his gold medal in Montreal in 1976 - four years after he told her about his gender identity issues

Loyal and supportive: Chrystie, the daughter of a Mormon minister, has known for more than 43 years that her ex Bruce believes he is female and she has stood by him as they raised Cassandra and Burt (right) and now are grandparents

Bruce Jenner reveals he 'is a woman' in emotional interview

Now, in the wake of Bruce's brave decision to reveal his gender struggle, Chrystie thinks her ex-husband has given a gift to the world.

'Im sure there are plenty of people who dont have the courage to come out ever and they live dark tortured life,' said Chrystie.

'I feel it was a gift he gave to me that he shared something so intimate.'

Bruce and Chrystie met at Graceland University in Iowa in 1968, where he was studying on a football scholarship.

He and the Mormon minister's daughter fell in love and married in 1972, the same year he represented the US as a decathlete at the Munich Olympics.

Four years later, at the Summer Olympics in Montreal, Canada, Bruce took the gold medal in the decathlon and became a household name.

He launched a lucrative career in commercial endorsements and TV guest hosting gigs.

The star athlete and Chrystie had a son and daughter together but their marriage was already in trouble by the time he met Linda Thompson in 1980.

A former Miss Tennessee and ex-girlfriend of Elvis Presley, Linda tied the knot with Bruce in January 1981 as soon as his divorce from Chrystie was finalized.

Support: Bruce's eldest child, Burt, (left) said he struggled with the news, while his eldest daughter, Cassandra (pictured) has not made a public statement. Brody (center) and Brandon (right) who are Bruce's children with Linda Thompson, said that they are happy for their father

Difficult: Burt, Jenner's eldest son, admitted he struggles with the news, but still supported his dad

They had two sons - Brandon and Brody- before splitting five years later.

The former Olympian was single for several years following his 1986 split from Linda.

In his interview with Sawyer, he said that he had started at that time to explore his gender identity and took hormone therapy for about five years. He also had some plastic surgery.

But towards the end of 1990, he met Kris Kardashian, the estranged wife of famed LA attorney Robert Kardashian.

When Kris' divorce came through in March 1991, the two married the next month with all eight of their children from their two previous marriages taking part in the ceremony.

Bruce became a stepfather to his new wife's children - Kourtney, Kim, Khloe and Rob Kardashian.

In 1995, Kris gave birth to a daughter Kendall, and in 1997 to another daughter Kylie.

Bruce revealed that his third wife also has known his secret for a while.

During Diane Sawyer's interview, Bruce Jenner's sons and daughter, Cassandra appeared on air and said they struggled to deal with their father's news, but support him 100 percent.

Jenner's eldest son, 36-year-old Burt was also supportive, but admitted he struggled with the news.

'It’s hard for me,' he said. He’s always answered his phone, you know, "What are you doin' big guy?". "Well, nothin' big guy!"

'And now, you know, do I ever... would you ever call a female "big guy"? No you would not.'