Gypsy Rose Blanchard continues to share details of the time she was repeatedly abused by her mother, Dee Dee Blanchard. The American was released this week after spending eight years in prison for the murder of her mother. In an interview with People published this Sunday, Gypsy, 31, revealed the most painful surgery her mother forced her to undergo.
Among the abuses committed by Dee Dee was subjecting her daughter to unnecessary medical procedures on the grounds that Gypsy suffered from multiple illnesses. According to the woman, the removal of two salivary glands in the neck was the most difficult operation she had to undergo.
The American explained that she did not respond well to the anesthesia, which made the entire recovery process very difficult. “To this day I still have the side effects of constantly having to clear my throat. That's how I always am [pigarreando], if you listen to me, that's a constant thing I've been doing ever since. And that really irritates people,” she said.
According to Gypsy, her intention is not to harass anyone. “That's because my saliva is very thick and I always have to clear my throat. So for me it was a negative side effect. And the reason I had this surgery is because my mother did it [gel para alívio na dentição] on my gums so I'll drool during the appointment and complain about it to the doctor [eu babo] too much,” he said.
She also said that she even asked her mother about the surgery, but Dee Dee's reaction was not good. “She became very, very angry with me and started manipulating me in ways that would take her love away from me,” he explained.
Gypsy is now on probation and has created social media accounts, including TikTok. This Sunday (31) she posted a video on the platform to mark her return. “I’m finally free! I would like to send a short video to thank everyone for the great support I have received on social media. Everyone was really, really nice and supportive. I really appreciate it,” she said.
@gypsyroseblanchard727 #ThePrisonConfessionsOfGypsyRoseBlanchard #releasedconversationsontheeveoffreedom ♬ Original sound Gypsy Rose Blanchard
Remember the case
When Gypsy was seven years old, Dee Dee falsely claimed that her daughter was suffering from numerous illnesses. One of them was muscular dystrophy, which, according to Dee Dee, forced Gypsy to use a wheelchair, even though the girl could walk easily. Next came painful and unnecessary feeding tubes and the claim that Gypsy had leukemia, which is why Dee Dee shaved Gypsy's head. Dee Dee tricked friends and family into believing the illnesses were real and got doctors to diagnose and treat them.
Gypsy herself spent years in the dark: “Of course I knew I could walk and didn't need a feeding tube, but everything else was a big mess for me.” Regarding her epilepsy diagnosis, she said she was constantly deceived by Dee Dee : “Whenever I questioned her, my mother would say I 'had a seizure the night before and couldn't remember it.' There was always an excuse.”
“I expressed concern and said, 'I really feel like I don't need this,' and she got very, very annoyed with me and started manipulating me,” Gypsy explained. To get Gypsy to give in, in the early years she said, “If you do well in the hospital, we'll go to Toys 'R' Us and buy a new Barbie.”
The situation became even worse when Gypsy completely cut off contact with other people. She was never enrolled in school and was also prevented by her mother from spending time with her father Rod, stepmother Christie and her halfsiblings. “I was limited in what I could see and the contact I had with other children. What I knew about the outside world was only found in Disney movies, and they don't talk about warning signs of bad parenting,” she said.
During her youth, Gypsy rebelled against abuse and her relationship with her mother became violent. “I tried my best to be respectful, but sometimes it was difficult. She called me things like bitch, bitch, etc. (…) Dee Dee started hitting, punching and slapping me to get what she wanted. It was very similar to a domestic violence relationship. As long as you stick to it, everything will be fine. Contradict her and things will get bad,” he recalled.
Gypsy Rose was a victim of Munchausen by proxy. (Photo: Reproduction/HBO)
The murder
In a conversation with People, Gypsy Rose revealed that she decided to kill her mother after a failed escape attempt. Since another unnecessary medical procedure was planned on her larynx, the young woman decided to leave the house. However, she was found hours later. “I just didn't accept it. She found me, brought me back and prepared the documents saying I was incompetent and that she had power of attorney over me,” he said.
She felt trapped and tried to put an end to the situation. “I really tried to find another way. “There was a conversation between me and my codefendant Nick,” he said, referring to the boy he met on an online dating site. “He said, 'I would do anything to protect you.' I said, “Anything?” “He said yes,” he explained.
Unlike Gypsy, Nicholas Godejohn was sentenced to life in prison for carrying out the fatal attack. He said in a recent statement: “[mataria] again if it meant saving Gypsy.” The young woman, in turn, went through years of reflection and therapy and came to the conclusion that her mother did not deserve to die.
“She doesn’t deserve this. She was a sick woman and unfortunately I wasn't educated enough to realize that. She deserves to be where I am and to be in prison for criminal behavior,” he noted. As her freedom approaches, she said she is still coming to terms with her past. “It's a journey. I'm still trying to forgive her, myself and the situation. I still love my mother. And I'm starting to understand that it was something that was perhaps out of her control, like an addict with an impulse. “That helps me deal with what happened and accept it,” he reflected.
To warn other people, Gypsy wants to tell her true story in the documentary series “The Prison Confessions of Gypsy Rose Blanchard,” premiering January 5 on the North American network Lifetime. “I want to make sure that people in abusive relationships don’t resort to murder. It may seem like all paths are closed, but there is always another way. “Do anything, but don’t take that attitude,” he concluded. Watch the trailer below: