Gypsy Rose Blanchard was born into a world of medical complexities. Her mother, Dee Dee Blanchard, believed her daughter suffered from a variety of ailments, ranging from leukemia to muscular dystrophy to epilepsy. Gypsy spent most of her life confined to a wheelchair, her head shaved, and her body subjected to numerous medical procedures. However, as time continued, the true nature of Gypsy’s life and her mother’s actions would come to light shockingly and tragically.
Gypsy’s life was a series of doctor’s appointments, medications, and public appearances where she was portrayed as a terminally ill and severely disabled child. This garnered many sympathies, leading to financial support and even a fully furnished home from charitable organizations. However, behind the facade of illness, a darker reality lay hidden. After hearing about Gypsy’s life, Carterville native, Teresa Pender says, “After watching and hearing about what happened, I think she did the only thing that she could’ve done at the time to be free. Although it is not something you should do, it was the only best option.”
As Gypsy grew older, she began questioning her mother’s version of events. She secretly met with a young man named Nick Godejohn online, and they formed a relationship. Gypsy confided in Nick about her suspicions that she may not be as sick as her mother claimed. As their relationship deepened, Gypsy and Nick hatched a plan to escape her mother’s control. “If you watched the show on Hulu seeing this part of it is very confining along with being very sad. [I] wish they would’ve done something else than stabbing her many times while she was sleeping”, said Carterville High School junior Paityn Jarvis .
One fateful night, Gypsy and Nick carried out their plan. They went to Dee Dee’s house, where Nick fatally stabbed her. Gypsy then fled with Nick, and they were eventually apprehended in Wisconsin. The full truth of Gypsy’s life and her mother’s deception came to light in the subsequent investigation and trial. It was revealed that Dee Dee had suffered from a condition known as Munchausen syndrome by proxy, a psychiatric disorder in which a caregiver fabricates or induces illness in a person under their care to gain attention and sympathy. Gypsy had been a victim of her mother’s deception and abuse for much of her life.
The case of Gypsy Rose Blanchard captivated the public and raised many questions about the complexities of mental illness, abuse, and the lengths to which a person will go to seek attention and control. Gypsy ultimately pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and was sentenced to ten years in prison, while Nick Godejohn was convicted of first-degree murder and given a life sentence. Gypsy’s story sheds light on the importance of recognizing and addressing the signs of abuse and mental illness, and it serves as a reminder of the need for empathy and understanding in the face of such complex and tragic circumstances.
On December 28, 2023, Gypsy Rose Blanchard had been free from the Chillicothe Correctional Center in Chillicothe, Missouri, at 3:30 a.m. “I am so happy to see that Gyspy is having such a better life. With her being in jail, she was able to grow out her hair and she looks so beautiful” said Carterville High School junior Jewel McCamish.
Overall, Gyspy is living a great life with her new partner and is currently writing a new book about her experience.
