US3 min(s) read
Published 11:46 07 Jun 2026 GMT
YouTuber Jesse Ridgway claims he has been sleeping with a gun beside him after he and his wife, Ashley, were sent “non-stop death threats” since they shared their decision to terminate a pregnancy after receiving a Down syndrome diagnosis.
Last week, the couple wrote a social media post telling their followers that they made the “difficult decision” to end Ashley's pregnancy due to Trisomy 21, another term for Down syndrome.
Ridgway said: "The choice was not made lightly.
“I know some of you may be very disappointed to hear this news. 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.”
The influencer cited some of the health risks to both mother and baby associated with Down’s Syndrome, including “very HIGH risk of miscarriage and usually comes with heart defects, structural abnormalities, developmental issues, shorter lifespan”.
He claimed that these are the reasons that continuing the pregnancy would be “objectively s**tty from a health perspective” and not “a blessing”.
Ridgway added: "I didn't realise just how rough it is for the child, let alone the family... more often than not, they would be fully dependent on others for the rest of their life."
The couple revealed that they received huge backlash to their announcement and claimed they had been exposed to the “darker side of humanity”.
Ridgway said: "The last 24 hours have exposed a side of humanity that is deeply disturbing. Being called 'murderous pieces of s**t, evil, compared to Hitler,' and receiving NON-STOP DEATH THREATS."
In a recent interview with TMZ, Ridgway said the response to their announcement of their decision had been “shocking”.
He told the news outlet: “With the death threats and stuff, it’s been shocking.”
Ridgway also shared that the couple has had to increase their home security, telling the interviewer: “I have a gun next to my nightstand, because it’s been getting so ridiculous.”
Despite the terrifying response from thousands of people online, the couple has also been contacted by “so many mothers” who reached out to thank them for their “bravery to speak truthfully about this topic”.
The influencer, who has 625k followers on Instagram, added: "There has never been a more important time to speak up and out about the things that matter. Do not let the vocal minority stop you from sharing your truth.
"To those who have been affected by this or are confronted with a similar situation in the future, we have your back and please feel free to reach out.
"I'm sure this will follow us awhile especially when we try for a kid again in the near future."
