Gypsy Rose Blanchard Would Bathe With Her Mom

Gypsy Rose Blanchard is revealing the unsettling particulars of her childhood in her new memoir, shedding mild on the intensely controlling and weird relationship she shared together with her late mom, Dee Dee Blanchard.

In “My Time To Stand,” Gypsy Rose Blanchard candidly recounts how she and her mom bathed collectively, slept in the identical mattress, and shared practically each side of their lives, highlighting the acute lengths Dee Dee went to to be able to keep management over her.

Born on July 27, 1991, Gypsy’s formative years was marked by intense abuse and manipulation by the hands of her mom, who allegedly suffered from Munchausen syndrome by proxy, a psychological dysfunction the place a caregiver fabricates or induces sickness in one other individual to realize consideration or sympathy.

Dee Dee claimed that Gypsy suffered from quite a few critical medical situations, together with leukemia, muscular dystrophy, epilepsy, and developmental delays, convincing these round her that Gypsy was gravely in poor health. Because of this, Gypsy endured numerous pointless medical therapies and surgical procedures, together with the elimination of her enamel and salivary glands. Dee Dee additionally confined Gypsy to a wheelchair, insisting she was unable to stroll, and inserted a feeding tube for fabricated dietary wants. Gypsy was remoted from her prolonged household and the skin world, with Dee Dee exercising full management over her life.

On June 14, 2015, Gypsy’s then boyfriend, Nicholas Godejohn, fatally stabbed Dee Dee in her sleep, a criminal offense orchestrated with Gypsy’s involvement. Gypsy, who was current throughout the homicide, later confessed that she believed it was her solely solution to escape her mom’s management. She was charged with second-degree homicide and, after pleading responsible, was sentenced to 10 years in jail. Godejohn, alternatively, was convicted of first-degree homicide and acquired a life sentence.

In her memoir, Gypsy brazenly revealed that she and her mom shared an unusually shut bond, bathing collectively, sleeping in the identical mattress, and watching the identical TV exhibits.

“Her pursuits in sci-fi and fantasy and ‘The Individuals’s Court docket’ turned my pursuits,” she recalled in her ebook. “Once I confirmed my very own curiosity for issues separate from her, like Barbie dolls, she’d be there to deflect: ‘Now, you don’t need these dolls when you’ve got so many stuffed animals to play with.’”

Gypsy defined that the title of her memoir holds particular significance, symbolizing the primary time she stood up and walked on her personal.

“The primary time I stood up alone two toes was my first failed try to depart my mom. I had the legs of a chick struggling to discover a means out of the cracks. Who hasn’t felt unsturdy like that in their very own life?” she informed PEOPLE forward of the memoir’s launch. “The second time I stood up, I walked down a path I’ll remorse without end. Once more, too many individuals really feel this manner about their selections.”

The 33-year-old added, “The third time I stood up, I did in order an incarcerated girl-woman who had a lot to find out about independence, self-forgiveness and resilience. Solely as a result of I did the work, did my time to face lastly come. Now, I can stand with different victims as they take steps towards doing no matter work is important to face for themselves.”

Forward of the discharge, Gypsy opened up about her challenge, telling PEOPLE Journal, “As a survivor determined to determine methods to encourage others to seek out hope, it’s essential to face inward—to query, to be introspective.”

“In processing and retelling my recollections, a lot extra fact has been revealed to me, together with the victimization of the opposite folks in my household and group,” Gypsy added. “I hope to interact readers by describing my journey, as a substitute of explaining it. In that means, others may see themselves in my story, too, and relate.”

In her new memoir, the ex-convict sheds mild on Munchausen syndrome by proxy whereas additionally recounting recollections from her childhood.

“Solely as a result of I did the work, did my time to face lastly come,” Gypsy admitted. “Now, I can stand with different victims as they take steps towards doing no matter work is important to face for themselves. ‘My Time to Stand’ is about reclaiming my footing so others may be impressed to stroll a lifetime of goal and that means and construct a future sturdy sufficient so others can stand for one thing, too.”

“My Time To Stand” is out now.