Influencer Jesse Ridgway Addresses Response to His and Wife Ashley's Abortion Decision After Down Syndrome Diagnosis
Influencer Jesse Ridgway Addresses Response to His and Wife Ashley's Abortion Decision After Down Syndrome Diagnosis
Kayla GrantFri, June 5, 2026 at 6:37 PM UTC
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Influencer Jesse Ridgway and his wife AshleyCredit: Jesse Ridgway/Instagram -
Jesse Ridgway and his wife Ashley faced backlash after sharing their decision to terminate a pregnancy due to a fetal Down syndrome diagnosis
The influencer condemned the hate and death threats the couple received, calling the response "deeply disturbing" and "divisive"
"If you can't contribute anything meaningful to the conversation aside from insults then just don't post," he wrote
Jesse Ridgway is responding to the backlash he and his wife have been receiving since sharing their "difficult decision to terminate" their pregnancy following a fetal Down syndrome diagnosis.
In a series of posts on his Instagram Stories from Thursday, June 4, the influencer, 33, reacted to the "hate and vitriol" that he and his wife, Ashley, 31, have allegedly been receiving since sharing that they terminated their pregnancy. In his statement, Jesse called the decision they made an "impossible" one, adding that since sharing the news, the New Jersey-based couple has been exposed to a "deeply disturbing" side of humanity.
"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," he wrote. "Being called 'murderous pieces of s--t, evil, compared to Hitler' and receiving NON-STOP DEATH THREATS."
"Seeing my 6-year-old dog with Stage 4 Kidney Disease be used as a weapon, manipulating my words and intent in a tweet or saying we'll regret this decision forever and must repent to God is absolute insanity," Jesse added.
Jesse said the response he and his wife have received is "reflective of the current world and landscape we're all living in," adding that it was a "s--t show of epic proportions."
"What's more troubling is a lot of these people use God or Jesus as their justification for threatening us and wanting to cast us into Hell…seems pretty hypocritical," he wrote. "So many saying they would've kept the child, put it up for adoption or are suddenly ready to adopt a down syndrome child, that's great! You can do all those things."
He continued, "However, many of the people throwing stones don't even have children, let alone one with a condition and most likely will never do the things they say they're going to do."
"If you can't contribute anything meaningful to the conversation aside from insults then just don't post," he wrote, before sharing details about the other types of comments they have allegedly been getting. "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," Jesse continued. "It's very easy to accept the difference between us when it has no actual bearing on your life."
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The content creator, who shares finance/tech videos, family-related vlogs, and more on his YouTube channel, went on to say what "shocked" him most about the entire situation.
"What shocked me most of all was that this story has become mainstream news… A couple's abortion is suddenly newsworthy in 2026…?" he explained. "There are over 1,000,000 abortions every single year for a myriad of reasons, this is happening on a DAILY BASIS and is the most common outcome for Trisomy 21, yet this one blows up and people are surprised…? The reason this blew up is quite simple: IT'S BECAUSE NOBODY TALKS ABOUT IT."
An estimated 1.12 million abortions were provided in 2025, according to the Guttmacher Institute. Approxomately 67% to 85% of pregnancies are terminated in the United States after a Down syndrome diagnosis, the National Institutes of Health reports.
Jesse said that he can't fully "blame people" for not speaking out about "these vulnerable experiences" in their lives publicly, calling the response he's received "disgusting" and "very divisive." Jesse added that with his "20 years on the Internet," he is no stranger to "taking on the crazies."
"I'm glad I can help further the conversation. That's exactly why I wanted to share this story," Jesse said. "People still need to see vulnerability and hear the raw truth. There is real suffering going on and it is being done in silence and fear."
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"So many mothers have reached out privately commending us on our bravery to speak truthfully about this topic and we really appreciate that support! We want you to feel less alone in this and less ashamed," he 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."
Jesse then addressed those who have been through a similar experience as he and his wife or will navigate it in the future.
"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," he wrote. "I'm sure this will follow us awhile especially when we try for a kid again in the near future."
on People
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
