Approaching the first anniversary of her release from prison, life is much different for Gypsy-Rose Blanchard compared to one year ago. She has already, among other things, released two books about her infamous childhood, found new love, and embraced the joys and challenges of being an expectant mother. Through it all, she hasn’t shied away from sharing every step with both supportive fans and curious observers.
Attention has regularly followed Blanchard, who pleaded guilty to second-degree murder for her role in orchestrating the 2015 murder of her mother, Clauddine “Dee Dee” Blanchard. Experts have since surmised that Dee Dee likely suffered from Munchausen syndrome by proxy, a mental disorder in which a caretaker makes someone sick or gives the illusion of being ill to garner attention. She led doctors and the community to believe that Gypsy-Rose suffered from an array of illnesses, such as asthma, leukemia, and muscular dystrophy, subjecting the healthy young girl to unnecessary treatments and procedures.
The case gained national widespread notoriety and became the subject of the 2019 Hulu miniseries The Act starring Joey King as Gypsy-Rose and Patricia Arquette as Dee Dee. So, unsurprisingly, the announcement that Gypsy-Rose was granted parole in September 2023 after 8 and a half years behind bars built intrigue about what her life outside prison would entail.
Blanchard was released early on the morning of December 28, 2023. Here’s a look at the 33-year-old’s whirlwind year since and the events that dominated headlines.
December 28, 2023: Gypsy-Rose leaves prison in Missouri
The Missouri Department of Corrections confirmed that Blanchard was granted parole and released from the Chillicothe Correctional Facility at roughly 3:30 a.m. She served 85 percent of a 10-year sentence for her conviction. People reported that her then-husband Ryan Scott Anderson picked her up at the prison, and the pair were set to start their new life in Louisiana.
Reports of Blanchard’s immediate plans soon emerged, including her attempt to meet music superstar Taylor Swift at a Kansas City Chiefs NFL game on December 31. But the encounter never happened: It was later revealed Gypsy-Rose’s attendance would have violated terms of her release.
January 5, 2024: Blanchard gives her first TV interview
A talk with her music idol off the table, Blanchard began an extensive media tour. She quickly proved she wasn’t shy about sharing her perspective on the abuse she suffered as a child and her personal growth in the years following her mother’s killing.
On January 5, Blanchard gave the first interview following her release to Good Morning America reporter Deborah Roberts. She spoke about grappling with her newfound fame. “There is this massive amount of support. And I appreciate that. But I’m dealing with a lot of self-guilt and regrets myself. So it’s a battle going on in my heart and in my mind,” she said.
Later that night, Lifetime debuted the first part of the six-episode docuseries The Prison Confessions of Gypsy Rose Blanchard that offered “unprecedented access” to Gypsy-Rose during the final stretch of her incarceration, including a sit-down interview.
January 9, 2024: She releases an e-book
Released: Conversations on the Eve of Freedom
My Time to Stand by Gypsy-Rose Blanchard
A couple days later, Blanchard released the aptly-named Released: Confessions on the Eve of Freedom on January 9. The e-book documented her life before and after her conviction and contained an exclusive collection of interview transcripts, journals, photos, and illustrations.
Later in the year, she announced the forthcoming release of My Time to Stand, a complete memoir documenting her final days of incarceration and containing reflections about seeing her family again and what she hopes to do with her new life. “My Time to Stand is about reclaiming my footing so others can be inspired to walk a life of purpose and meaning and build a future sturdy enough so others can stand for something, too,” she said of the book, which published on December 10.
March 29, 2024: Blanchard separates from her husband before reconnecting with her ex
Gypsy-Rose Blanchard married Ryan Scott Anderson during her imprisonment, but the couple separated in March 2024 and later divorced.
Just months after they had reunited outside of prison, Blanchard announced she and Ryan Scott Anderson, whom she married in July 2022, had separated. She revealed she planned to live with her father and stepmother amid the split. “I have the support of my family and friends to help guide me through this. I am learning to listen to my heart. Right now I need time to let myself find… who I am,” Blanchard wrote in a Facebook statement obtained by People.
Shortly after this, Gypsy-Rose was spotted receiving a matching tattoo with her ex-fiancé, Ken Urker. By the end of April, she confirmed the pair were dating. “After reconnecting earlier this month, we realized that our love for each other is simply undeniable, and life is too short to not take a chance,” Blanchard said.
July 9, 2024: Blanchard announces her pregnancy
In a video posted to YouTube, Blanchard addressed rumors of a possible pregnancy and revealed that she is, in fact, expecting her first child. “We’re both very excited. This was not planned at all; it was completely unexpected,” said Blanchard, who was then 11 weeks into her pregnancy.
Blanchard continued to document her pregnancy journey over the coming weeks, sharing symptoms such as her craving for applesauce and uploading pictures of her baby bump.
July 11, 2024: Gypsy-Rose appears on The Kardashians
Now a small screen figure herself, Gypsy-Rose met with reality TV royalty by visiting Kim Kardashian in a Season 5 episode of The Kardashians. Kim, who is studying to become a lawyer, has publicly called for prison reform in the past and discussed the topic with Blanchard.
The pair also spoke about Gypsy-Rose’s grief process during prison. “I would cry,” Blanchard revealed. “My mom was a huge Matchbox Twenty fan. I would play some of their songs, and I would just allow myself that time to cry and grieve.”
Over the next two weeks, Blanchard’s rapidly shifting personal life played out in the final episodes of Gypsy Rose: Life After Lockup, another Lifetime docuseries. The eight-episode show captured her rekindled romance with Urker and the rhinoplasty she underwent in May.
November 2024: She shares the name of her unborn daughter
Blanchard underwent a paternity test, which confirmed Urker as the father of her child. According to People, her ex-husband Anderson would have otherwise been listed as the child’s father on a birth certificate under Louisiana divorce law.
On November 25, the happy parents-to-be revealed the name they chose for their unborn daughter: Aurora Raina. The inspiration behind the name dates back years.
“Back whenever Ken and I were together seven years ago, both of us have a fascination with the Northern Lights, and the proper term is the Aurora Borealis,” Blanchard explained, according to E!. “I think it was maybe in 2018, we wrote each other’s future kid’s name on pieces of paper and Aurora is what we both picked without even knowing each other was picking it.”
December 9, 2024: Her divorce from Anderson is finalized
Rolling Stone reports Blanchard and Anderson had finalized their divorce after eight months of separation. Anderson didn’t appear in court for its completion. “[He] was aware that the divorce was taking place today,” his attorney Randy J. Fuerst said in a statement to People. “He did not seek this divorce but is now glad that this saga in his life is over and he looks forward to a healthy new beginning.”
January 2025: Gypsy-Rose’s daughter is due
Blanchard has confirmed her daughter, Aurora, is due sometime in January 2025. Maybe one day they can take Aurora to see her namesake, the aurora borealis. Gypsy-Rose said she and Urker hope to travel overseas to Sweden for the aerial phenomenon once she is free of her parole restrictions.
In the meantime, she is eagerly awaiting her daughter’s arrival. “It is so going to be a long journey ahead, but I’m up for it,” Blanchard said previously. “I feel a shift in myself. When I found out that I was pregnant, none of anything else mattered.”
Tyler Piccotti joined the Biography.com staff as an Associate News Editor and is now the News and Culture Editor. He previously worked as a reporter and copy editor for a daily newspaper recognized by the Associated Press Sports Editors. In his current role, he shares the true stories behind your favorite movies and TV shows and profiles rising musicians, actors, and athletes. When he’s not working, you can find him at the nearest amusement park or movie theater and cheering on his favorite teams.
After years of being controlled by her mother and living a life filled with lies and abuse, Gypsy-Rose Blanchard is finally experiencing her first taste of freedom. Since her mother’s murder in 2015, Gypsy-Rose has been navigating life on her own terms and trying to piece together a new identity outside of the confines of her past.
In her first year of freedom, Gypsy-Rose has been embracing all the opportunities that were once denied to her. She has been exploring her newfound independence, making decisions for herself, and building relationships with those who support her unconditionally. Through therapy and counseling, she has been working through the trauma of her past and learning how to trust herself and others again.
Gypsy-Rose’s journey to freedom has not been easy, but she is determined to create a life that is authentic and true to herself. She is grateful for the chance to start over and is looking forward to all the possibilities that lie ahead. Despite the challenges she may face, Gypsy-Rose is proving that she is resilient and capable of creating a future that is bright and full of hope.
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Gypsy Rose Blanchard, Freedom, Crime, True Crime, Munchausen by proxy, Mother-daughter relationship, Abuse, Murder, Mental health, Justice, Prison release, Gypsy Rose Blanchard case, legal system, Women’s rights, Survivors, Empowerment, True story
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