YouTube star Jesse Ridgway offered more insight into the decision he and wife Ashley Ridgway made to get an abortion.
“We were confronting the scenario of having the baby, and playing out every possible scenario about what it would look like and how we would make it work, what happens if they have these health problems, and need these surgeries,” Jesse, 33, told People in an interview published on Wednesday, June 10. “It was so real to us. I wish people could empathize with us, and know this wasn’t some black and white decision.”
Jesse announced earlier this month that he and Ashley, 31, decided to terminate their pregnancy after receiving a fetal Down syndrome diagnosis. While they’ve been subject to a barrage of public backlash, Jesse said on Wednesday that private supporters have also rallied around the couple.
“I’ve been making content for 20 years, so we’ve seen hate before. But not to this degree,” Jesse told People, noting that they’ve gotten a huge response to Ashley’s abortion.
“Every second is a new death threat towards me and my wife,” he added. “The amount of private support we’ve received is also overwhelming.”
Jesse continued, “For any couple who has gone through a decision [like] this, it never leaves your mind. Years from now, I’ll be thinking about it. But we’ve had people we’ve known for years suddenly feel comfortable with sharing their own abortion stories with us.”
Even though there’s a mix between hate and support, Jesse said he understands both sides.
“There’s so many facets to this subject, from a political or religious standpoint, or everyone wants to have a family or is a part of one,” he said. “It has ignited a reaction from every corner of the world.”
YouTuber Jesse Ridgway is firing back at conspiracy theories after sharing that he and his wife, Ashley, made the “difficult decision to terminate” her pregnancy after receiving a fetal Down syndrome diagnosis. “Ya’ll can’t even keep your stories straight, it’s crazy,” Jesse, 33, wrote in a statement shared via his Instagram Stories and X account […]
Jesse noted, “I don’t know if there’s anything else that could cause more of a reaction than this subject.”
His People interview comes days after Jesse took to Facebook, uploading a video of the night after Ashley’s procedure.
In a lengthy caption from Monday, June 8, Jesse claimed that Ashley’s family urged her to walk away from the marriage following her abortion.
“She has received text messages from her family accusing me of abuse and that I’m brainwashing her … issuing ultimatums that she needs to LEAVE ME IMMEDIATELY,” he alleged, in part. “Audacious s*** that will have your head-spinning because of the delusion and lack of consideration.”
Jesse added, “Downright disgusting gossip and s***-talking amongst important people in her life as if she’s not even blood. No backbone, just cowardice as they accuse me of making the decision and controlling/manipulating her over all the years of being together.”
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‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.usmagazine.com ’
