YouTuber Jesse Ridgway and his wife revealed this week they terminated a pregnancy after learning their unborn child had Down syndrome, sharing an emotional account of what they described as one of the most difficult decisions of their lives.
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Ridgway announced the diagnosis and their decision in a Wednesday post on X, saying they wrestled with the choice after doctors informed them their baby was likely to be born with the genetic condition.
"This week, my wife and I made the very difficult decision to terminate the pregnancy due to Trisomy 21," Ridgway wrote. "The choice was not made lightly. We really appreciate all of the personal stories that you guys shared with us, especially the unconditional support we received from fans with no matter what we decided."
Ridgway, whose YouTube channel McJuggerNuggets has more than 4 million followers, had kept followers in the loop during his wife Ashley's pregnancy. He posted a video to his personal channel where they read the confirmation of the Trisomy 21 diagnosis, and his wife wept over the news.
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He acknowledged that some fans might be disappointed to hear that his wife had an abortion and thanked others for their support.
"I know some of you may be very disappointed to hear this news," Ridgway wrote. "We are devastated. This has been extremely traumatic for both of us, especially Ashley. She underwent the procedure earlier this week and is on the mend. Thankfully, everything went smoothly, but emotionally we are drained."
He listed Down syndrome statistics, saying that half of babies with the condition have heart defects, 75% have hearing issues and that half will also have eyesight challenges, adding that "impaired immune function, developmental disabilities, learning disabilities, delayed physical development, poor muscle tone, structural issues with face, decreased lifespan," are also challenges.
"Sadly, the list is long, feel free to look it up… Down Syndome [sic] isn’t a ‘blessing,’ it is objectively s---ty from a health perspective," Ridgway wrote.
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The announcement went viral on X, formerly Twitter, prompting an onslaught of concern and pushback.
In a Friday post on X, House Speaker Mike Johnson wrote, "In 29 days, we will celebrate the 250th birthday of our exceptional nation, which became the greatest of all because we were the first to declare the self-evident truth that all people are created equal by God. Not ‘born equal.’ We are ‘CREATED equal.’ Because God made us all in His image, it means EVERY SINGLE PERSON has inestimable DIGNITY and VALUE—and our value is not related in any way to the color of our skin, what zip code we live in, what our talents are, our health condition, or any other factor."
Johnson added, "Our value is inherent, because it is given to us by our loving Heavenly Father. When a culture devolves to the point of depravity where ‘influencers’ can go online and so casually dismiss the deliberate murder of their own precious child, the survival of that culture itself is at risk."
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Former Planned Parenthood clinic director Abby Johnson shared her dismay in a Thursday reply on X.
"Holy crap. Just out here boasting about murdering a beautiful child with no remorse," Johnson said.
"Your baby was brutally and torturously murdered in his mother’s womb… the place that should have been the safest," she added. "I hope you think about his fear as he was torn apart. I hope you think about his pain. Meanwhile, you’re saving your dog with cancer. What a monster of a man you are."
The Babylon Bee's Kyle Mann called him "evil."
Mollie Hemingway, editor-in-chief of The Federalist, replied to Ridgway’s post where someone responded, "Who are you to judge?" and Hemingway replied, "Just a human who cares about human rights."
Wrote another user: "My son has Down syndrome and he's one of the best things that ever happened to me. The list of conditions sounds terrifying at first, but modern medicine can do so much for them. If you ever get a positive screening, I promise you won't regret welcoming your child."
While some responses expressed sympathy for the Ridgways, the overwhelming amount of comments on YouTube and X to Ridgway appeared to show anger and grief.
In a post responding to critics, Ridgway wrote in part, "I’ve never seen such hate and vitriol for two people grieving the loss of their unborn child and making an impossible decision. The last 24 hours have exposed a side of humanity that is deeply disturbing. Being called 'murderous pieces of s---, evil, compared to Hitler' and receiving NON-STOP DEATH THREATS."
He added, "The reason this blew up is quite simple: IT’S BECAUSE NOBODY TALKS ABOUT IT. I can’t blame people for not talking about these vulnerable experiences publicly because you see the disgusting backlash that ensues. It’s very divisive. Luckily, after 20 years on the Internet, this is par the course for me taking on the crazies, so I’m glad I can help further the conversation."
Fox News Digital reached out to Ridgway for additional comment.