Gypsy Rose Blanchard was recently released from jail after the murder of her mother, Dee Dee Blanchard. Her story has been told through various documentaries, such as Hulu’s The Act and HBO’s Mommy Dead and Dearest.
Dee Dee had Munchausen by proxy, which is a disorder where a parent will willingly make their child ill to garner sympathy from others by playing the role of caretaker. She duped many organizations and people into thinking that Gypsy was ill, which afforded them special vacations and funding.
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Gypsy was in and out of hospitals and taking several medications for illnesses she didn’t have. Since it all started when Gypsy was young, for a time, she believed she was ill. When Gypsy began to realize that it was a lie, it was also apparent that her mother wouldn’t let her stop the facade.
Dee Dee isn’t the only mother figure in Gypsy’s life, however. She also has a stepmother, Kristy Blanchard. According to People Magazine, Kristy and Gypsy have been close since birth, but after her mother passed away, it allowed them to reconnect and develop an even stronger bond.
Rob and Dee Dee’s Relationship Did Not Last Long
Kristy first started dating Gypsy’s father, Rod Blanchard, six months after Gypsy was born. Rod met Dee Dee while he was in high school. BuzzFeed News reported that Rod was 17 years old when he first started dating Dee Dee, while she was 24.
They’d only dated for three or four months before Dee Dee became pregnant. Rod married her because he believed he was supposed to. But when he turned 18, on his birthday, he realized that he wasn’t in love with her.
He had made a mistake, and so he divorced her. Dee Dee made a few attempts to get him to return to her, but they were unsuccessful. Gypsy was born a few months after they divorced.
About three months after she was born, Dee Dee started to claim that Gypsy had sleep apnea. When doctors tested her for it, they couldn’t find anything. Dee Dee was convinced, however, and she started believing that Gypsy was sick with other illnesses.
When Gypsy was six months old, Kristy entered the picture. She started dating Rod, and they eventually married. Kristy was part of Gypsy’s life for 10 years before Dee Dee cut them off.
During her interview with BuzzFeed News, Kristy recalled the wonderful memories they had during those ten years. Despite Gypsy’s illnesses, they took her to events like the Special Olympics. That memory, in particular, is a favorite of Kristy’s because they were all quite happy.
Rob Never Stopped Supporting his Daughter
But then Dee Dee moved to Missouri and took Gypsy with her. Rod and Kristy planned on visiting Gypsy, but Dee Dee kept coming up with reasons that would put their plans on hold. That said, they talked to her as often as they could.
Dee Dee often told neighbors that Gypsy’s father was a deadbeat and an addict who never paid any child support. Rod paid $1,200 in child support every month. He even gave gifts that Dee Dee requested.
After Gypsy turned 18, he continued to give financial support because he believed she needed the help. Rod never intended to stop supporting his daughter.
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When the news broke that Dee Dee had died and Gypsy was missing, Rod called Kristy. Kristy was afraid that someone had taken Gypsy and brought her somewhere, then left her to die. She was also worried that, if found, she’d be unable to take care of Gypsy because Dee Dee was the one who knew all the ailments she suffered from.
As the news came to light about Gypsy’s involvement with the crime concerning her mother, Kristy questioned Dee Dee’s motives for making her daughter suffer. She was ready to support Gypsy from the start. It was because of Kristy’s support that Gypsy was able to open up about her past trauma.
Gypsy Confided in Kristy
During her Lifetime documentary series, The Prison Confessions of Gypsy Rose Blanchard, Gypsy said that Kristy was the mom she always wanted to have. They talked as much as they were allowed while Gypsy was in prison, and Kristy and Rod also visited her.
During one of their conversations, Gypsy revealed that her grandfather, Dee Dee’s father, had been criminally inappropriate with her. Her grandfather claimed in the Lifetime documentary that Gypsy had been making advances, not him. Kristy supported Gypsy by telling her that she would always love and support her.
There was also a moment in her life when Gypsy was struggling with illegal substances in prison. She lied to Kristy about the reason for needing $50, saying that she broke someone’s CD player and needed the money to buy her a new one.
That lie ate at Gypsy, and she eventually revealed the truth. While Kristy was upset that Gypsy had lied, she was glad that Gypsy eventually came forward with the truth. Gypsy said that she could tell her stepmother anything.
While the two were close while Gypsy was in prison, they’ve been even closer with her release from jail. Kristy told NewsNation at the time that they were planning a big Christmas event for Gypsy since she’d be out of jail just a few days after Christmas. Besides getting her lots of presents, Kristy also planned on taking Gypsy out to get her hair and nails done.
These days, Gypsy is getting used to a normal life, and Kristy is there helping her find her way. Kristy said that Gypsy has grown a lot, and it’s been unbelievable how far she’s come.
