Gypsy-rose Blanchard is a 32-year-old woman from Golden Meadow, Louisiana. She was released from prison on December 28, 2023, after serving a 10-year sentence for her role in the premeditated murder of her mother. Aside from living a seemingly normal life—now living back in her hometown with her husband Ryan Anderson and her dog Roxy—she is a global pop-culture icon. 

Growing up she lived with her mom Clauddine “Dee Dee” Blanchard where they seemed to live a very happy, loving, and peaceful life… or so everyone thought. Clauddine suffered from a disease called Munchausen syndrome by Proxy, a mental illness and a form of child abuse where she made up fake symptoms and caused real symptoms to make it seem like Gypsy was sick. However, Gypsy was perfectly normal. She had no diseases, physical health issues, or mental disorders, and all she ever wanted was to live a normal childhood—one filled with Disney princesses and girly makeovers, both of which her mother never let her enjoy. 

Dee Dee’s sickening behavior included feeding Gypsy through a feeding tube, pulling out her teeth, shaving her head, forcing her in a wheelchair, and restricting her from any human interaction in-person and online. Any sort of romantic experiences was especially restricted from Gypsy’s life. Investigators have reported that she would also beat Gypsy and one time even chained her to a bed for over 24 hours. 

The deprivation of connection with any outside individuals left Gypsy hungry for male validation as she entered her later teen years. One day she found herself on a Christian dating website where she connected with a man named Nicholas Godejohn. Godejohn and Gypsy quickly fell in love and started seeking ways for Gypsy to escape from the reigns of her mother. After years of abuse and a door into a new life with Godejohn, she finally realized what it was she truly wanted—her mom to die. 

 Gypsy convinced Godejohn to kill her mother for her, and he was fully cooperative. In the Oxygen special, Godejohn recalls how he felt from that day. 

 “I [was] so darn enraged that something inside of me clicked. Unfortunately, that part of me wanted to come out for a very long time and the very first opportunity it got, it didn’t waste any time. That dark shadow part of me that really is triggered by anger; once that anger clicks, I see red.” 

Gypsy originally had a 10-year sentence for her role in the murder and was projected to be released from prison in 2026. After serving 7 years, she was granted parole in September 2023 and was officially released on Dec. 28, 2023. Less than a month after her release, she gained worldwide attention as she settled into a life of freedom and fame. This unlikely superstar has become the center of media recognition, gaining more than 9 million followers on TikTok and over 8 million followers on Instagram. The media soared with excitement in lieu of her release, boasting about ‘how much she has missed’ in the world of pop-culture during the years she was incarcerated. 

 On her first Instagram video, Gypsy excitedly says, “I am finally free”, giving her followers the response they had been eagerly awaiting. To everyone’s surprise, Gypsy jumped right into the world of the media within two weeks of her release by posting a multitude of TikTok videos and Instagram pictures. Gypsy is now using her platform to raise awareness on Munchausen by-Proxy and support medical organizations, gaining more and more followers daily. She is thoroughly enjoying her new “normal” and fans are expecting many great things for her future.  

With the urge to start fresh and finally thrive as her own human being, Gypsy will never forget the tribulations she had to endure to get to where she is now. “Living a good life really is the best revenge” she says on a recent Instagram post; 1.1 million likes later and she is still riding a high no one can bring her down from.