Jesy Nelson has opened up about the real reason behind her split from Zion Foster in a new Prime Video documentary, revealing how their twin daughters' SMA diagnosis tore them apart.
The Devastating Diagnosis
Jesy Nelson has spoken candidly about her breakup from Zion Foster, following a tumultuous period in their lives when their twin daughters, Ocean Jade and Story Monroe Nelson-Foster, were diagnosed with the rare and debilitating condition SMA Type 1, which leads to muscle wastage.
The ex-Little Mix singer and mother-of-two had wrapped up filming for her Prime Video documentary series, which chronicled her journey in the music industry and motherhood, some time ago. However, in this additional episode, Jesy dedicates the documentary to her crusade for newborns to undergo testing for Spinal Muscular Atrophy at birth. She is advocating for UK infants to receive a heel prick test for SMA at birth, and The Mirror has joined forces with her in this endeavour, which will gain momentum with a forthcoming Prime Video programme scheduled to air later this year.
Campaign for Change
In January, Jesy made a powerful appearance on This Morning, vowing to "shout from the rooftops" in her quest for change. Her goal is to have SMA included in the NHS blood test, typically administered at five days old, which currently screens for 10 other conditions.
The documentary features footage of Jesy on This Morning, The Mirror's front-page coverage of her campaign to gather 100,000 signatures for a petition, as well as her meeting with the then-Health Secretary, Wes Streeting.
Heartbreaking Moments
The documentary also captures the heart-wrenching moment when Jesy received the devastating news from doctors that her twins had SMA. At the time, she expressed her emotions, saying: "I know I sound really negative now but it is hard to accept that this is going to be their life now. It just feels like it is getting worse and worse. It is so hard. I really thought my heartache was over. I can't believe this is happening. I feel so heartbroken."
Her former partner, Zion, shares his own struggles, admitting: "I am not equipped to deal with this, I am out of my depth, emotionally physically and mentally. At the moment I am just surviving."
The Breakup
In the film, Jesy opens up about her decision to split from Zion, suggesting that she was the one who initiated the breakup. She reflects: "It is a very traumatic thing we have both been through. I think it's quite inevitable for things like this to happen as a couple. Like, I don't think it's like a shock that we've broken up, because you'll either be a team or it can tear you apart, and unfortunately, I feel like that's what it's done to Zi and I."
Despite the split, Jesy assures that there's no animosity between them. "But you know, we still get on. There's no, there's no bad feeling. My main priority is them, so like, I just want to be the best mum for them. I want to have the best energy, and I want to be positive, and the house was not like that when we were together. Obviously, because we were both dealing with this situation completely differently, and together we were just clashing. So I decided we would be better off apart."
"It's hard, it's really hard, you know, just me and Mum now, and I feel bad because I feel like mum's at an age now where she should just be enjoying her life, and now she's like a mum again."
Twins' Journey
The twins are depicted utilising special chairs and undergoing treatment in the hope that they will eventually walk. However, they still can't be bottle-fed and sometimes require Jesy to use a tube.
Reflecting on her emotional journey at the end of the documentary, Jesy admits: "In the beginning I felt like I was going to feel that sadness and that heartache for the rest of my life. But the pain does get less. When something like this happens in your life it puts everything into perspective, there's a reason that this is, you know, happening. There is this whole community that have been fighting for years to be seen and heard, so that no other family has to go through this ever again. That's the reason."
"The girls' diagnosis has become my normal now. They are the reason that I now feel that I have purpose, and they give me strength every day. There was a point when they might not be here so the fact they are here for their first birthday is just amazing. It is such a big milestone for me and them. They give me a reason to not be sad. Because I am like how can I be sad when you're going through all of this and they're still smiling."
The film concludes on a joyful note with the twins celebrating their first birthday and Story uttering "mama" for the first time.
