Jesse Ridgway speaks out on death threats after ending pregnancy due to Down syndrome
YouTuber Jesse Ridgway, widely known online as McJuggerNuggets, is speaking out about a wave of death threats he and his wife Ashley have received after publicly revealing they terminated a pregnancy following a Down syndrome diagnosis — a decision the couple say they hope will open up much-needed conversations for others in similar situations.
Ridgway, who has more than 4.3 million subscribers on his YouTube channel, announced alongside his wife Ashley that they ended her pregnancy after learning their unborn child carried Trisomy 21, commonly known as Down syndrome.
The couple had originally announced they were expecting their first baby back on March 29. Two months later, they filmed themselves receiving the results of an amniocentesis — a test for genetic abnormalities and chromosomal conditions — and the news was devastating.
"I know some of you may be very disappointed to hear this news," Ridgway wrote in an Instagram Story. "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 backlash that followed was swift and fierce. Ridgway shared on Instagram that they have been receiving death threats and harsh criticism for their decision, while expressing gratitude to those who have supported them during this difficult time.
Although Ridgway said he anticipated "some level of, like, flak or differing opinions," he told the Los Angeles Times he was shocked by what it had become, adding: "There are a million abortions every year, and I'm just shocked that one couple deciding to abort for Trisomy 21 is mainstream news."
Despite the online hostility, Ridgway has pushed back firmly. He noted that "many of the people throwing stones" do not appear to have children and will likely "never do the things they say they're going to do," urging critics: "If you can't contribute anything meaningful to the conversation aside from insults then just don't post."
Ridgway also acknowledged those who had chosen to continue pregnancies with a Down syndrome diagnosis, writing: "On the other hand, there has been tremendous stories of people who kept their Down Syndrome baby and that's awesome! Very courageous and they do look very happy! That is your choice and I support it. This was ours and we can do that." Yahoo!
The YouTuber, who has been creating content for nearly two decades, says the reason the story resonated so widely speaks to a larger silence around such decisions. "The reason this blew up is quite simple: IT'S BECAUSE NOBODY TALKS ABOUT IT," he wrote. Yahoo!
He added: "I think if we share this, it will have a net positive for other people, and they can feel more comfortable and less shame confronting these things." Lipstick Alley
Ridgway told the Los Angeles Times the couple had not originally planned to go public. They were in the middle of filming a gender reveal video when they noticed preliminary markers for Trisomy 21 on the same prenatal report — leaving them blindsided.
According to the National Institutes of Health, approximately 6,000 babies are born with Down syndrome in the United States each year, affecting roughly 1 in every 700 births. Globally, termination rates following a Down syndrome diagnosis vary widely — nearly 100% in Iceland, 98% in Denmark, 77% in France, and 67% in the United States, according to Healthline.
The Ridgways say they hope their story helps remove some of the stigma surrounding deeply personal reproductive decisions. "But I kept coming back to, there are so many people out there like us dealing with these things, and nobody's talking about it," Ridgway said.