Gypsy Rose Blanchard on manipulating her mother’s system

Blanchard Gypsy Rosethe mother, Clauddine “Dee Dee” BlanchardHe allegedly subjected her to years of alleged abuse through Munchausen syndrome by proxy, a rare psychological disorder in which a caregiver fabricates or induces an illness in someone under their care to gain attention, sympathy, or financial gain.

Dee Dee allegedly convinced Gypsy, as well as medical professionals, family members, and the general public, that her daughter was suffering from numerous serious health problems, including leukemia, muscular dystrophy, epilepsy, and a number of other chronic conditions. She even allegedly took advantage of Gypsy’s fake illnesses to solicit donations, free trips, and other forms of support.

Organizations like the Make-A-Wish Foundation offered free vacations to disneyworld for Gypsy Rose Blanchard and her mother, while Habitat for Humanity built a wheelchair-accessible home for them.

Gypsy received numerous charitable donations during her time living with her late mother, Clauddine “Dee Dee,” but it’s a part of her past she prefers not to dwell on.

Gypsy, now 33, reflects on her upbringing in her newly released memoir, “My Time to Stand,” which was released on Tuesday, December 10. In the book, she details the alleged abuse she suffered at the hands of her mother.

“I didn’t know I could think for myself until I started searching the Internet with an HP laptop. I was told the computer was a gift from the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society one Christmas,” Gypsy explained, adding that the organization believed she was 13 years old, even though she was actually 18 at the time.

“We receive a lot of help and gifts from charities along with government benefits such as food stamps, disability checks and Section 8 housing. It’s a fact that gives me goosebumps,” the ex-con added.

Gypsy was also falsely labeled as having developmental delays, which left her completely dependent on her mother. To support these claims, Dee Dee forced Gypsy to use a wheelchair, shaved her head to mimic the appearance of a chemotherapy patient, and gave her unnecessary medications, which often caused real side effects. Gypsy underwent countless medical tests, surgeries and treatments, all unnecessary and orchestrated by her mother.

The now 33-year-old woman recalled watching her mother “maneuver her way around the system, shrewdly researching” nonprofits and organizations that could provide assistance to her family.

“I didn’t know it was a scam until about a year after I found my Medicaid card with my correct date of birth, when Mom became more physical and violent with me after I asked her about it again, rejecting her narrative. “, wrote. “The discovery of my true date of birth was not my ‘aha moment’ per se, but it acted as a warning siren to be more alert and take a closer look.”

As Gypsy grew older, she began to realize the extent of her mother’s lies and control. She finally discovered that she was not really sick and that she had been manipulated her entire life. Her attempts to escape Dee Dee’s control were thwarted, as Dee Dee would isolate her, monitor her online activity, and physically punish her.

In 2015, after meeting a man named Nicholas Godejohn online, Gypsy conspired with him to kill Dee Dee. Godejohn stabbed Dee Dee to death, an act in which Gypsy was an accomplice. Gypsy later admitted that she saw it as her only way out.

Following Dee Dee’s death, the truth about her abuse and deception came to light, shocking the world. Gypsy pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and was sentenced to 10 years in prison. Godejohn received a life sentence.

While Gypsy was held accountable for her actions, her case sparked conversations about abuse, mental health, and systems failures that overlooked countless red flags in Dee Dee’s behavior. Gypsy was released from prison in December 2023 after serving 7 years. Now, he is working to rebuild his life, including starting a family, and has expressed remorse for his role in his mother’s death while continuing to reflect on the trauma he suffered.

Her story has been the subject of documentaries, interviews and dramatizations, including the Hulu series “The Act.”

Earlier this year, Gypsy announced that she was expecting her first child with Ken Urker. The couple originally met through a prison pen pal program while Gypsy was still incarcerated. After their initial separation, they married ryan scott anderson in 2022 while serving his sentence.

However, she filed for divorce in April 2024. At the end of that month, Gypsy confirmed that she had reconciled with her ex-fiancé. Ken Urker.