Gypsy Rose Blanchard's life has been anything but ordinary. From a childhood marred by alleged medical abuse to her involvement in her mother's murder, her story has captivated the nation. Following her release from prison on December 28, 2023, after serving eight years for the second-degree murder of her mother, Clauddine "Dee Dee" Blanchard, Gypsy Rose Blanchard stepped into a new chapter, one that included marriage to Ryan Scott Anderson. However, their relationship quickly became the subject of intense public scrutiny and ultimately ended in separation.
From Pen Pals to Spouses: The Beginning of Gypsy and Ryan's Relationship
Gypsy Rose Blanchard and Ryan Scott Anderson's relationship began in 2020, during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Like many others, Ryan found himself drawn to true crime documentaries, particularly "Tiger King." Inspired by a colleague who wanted to write to Joe Exotic, Ryan decided to write to Gypsy Rose Blanchard. He had previously watched the documentary "Mommy Dead and Dearest" and felt compelled to reach out.
"I said, 'I'll tell you what, if you write him, I'll write Gypsy Rose Blanchard,'" Anderson told People.
A few weeks later, Ryan received a reply from Gypsy, and they began corresponding regularly. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, they couldn't meet in person until a year later. During this time, they formed an "emotional bond" through letters and phone calls. Ryan finally visited Gypsy in prison in July 2021. A year later, in July 2022, they married in a small, private ceremony at the prison.
"I know the home that I'm going home to is with my husband, and I'm going to have a really supportive family dynamic," Blanchard said. "And I think that that's what I've been missing this whole time."
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Life After Lock Up: Adjusting to Freedom and Marriage
Upon her release, Gypsy Rose Blanchard was united with her husband, Ryan Scott Anderson. The world watched as they navigated the challenges of adjusting to life outside prison and building a marriage under intense public scrutiny. They were featured in the Lifetime docuseries "Gypsy Rose: Life After Lock Up," which offered a glimpse into their daily lives and struggles.
Gypsy expressed excitement about starting a new life with Ryan, including plans to "redo" their vows and start a family. "We're in love," Gypsy said. "It's hard because I'm going into a new life and I'm newly married, and I'm going to have kids one day, and I'm going to have to explain to my kids why their grandmother on mommy's side isn't around. And that's going to be a really hard conversation."
Cracks in the Facade: Separation and Allegations
However, the fairy tale was short-lived. Just months after her release, news broke that Gypsy Rose Blanchard and Ryan Scott Anderson were separating. The announcement came as a shock to many, given their public displays of affection and commitment.
"People have been asking what is going on in my life. Unfortunately my husband and I are going through a separation and I moved in with my parents home down the bayou. I have the support of my family and friends to help guide me through this. I am learning to listen to my heart," Blanchard stated.
Sources close to Gypsy cited several reasons for the split, including alleged controlling behavior by Ryan and lingering feelings for her ex-fiancé, Ken Urker. A close friend of Gypsy's revealed an alleged incident of verbal abuse, claiming that Ryan "got in her face and screamed," which triggered Gypsy's past trauma.
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"Gypsy said that she was afraid he was going to hit her," Nadiya Vizier, 22, told a news outlet. "He didn't - but that happened in the past with her mother. So, her first instinct was to tighten up and be prepared," she explained. "But she got to safety and called her lawyer, too. Ryan is a big guy, and she told me it was really scary."
Ryan's Perspective: Shock, Heartbreak, and Denial
Ryan Scott Anderson expressed shock and heartbreak over the separation. He claimed to be blindsided by Gypsy's actions and denied any allegations of abuse or controlling behavior.
"I'm not doing well with it," the 37-year-old confessed. "For me, it just came out of the blue."
Anderson noted his shock at seeing paparazzi photos of Gypsy with her ex-fiancé, Ken Urker. "I had no idea she still had such strong feelings for him," Anderson admitted.
Ryan denied that Gypsy kept up a relationship with Ken while they were together. "It wasn't like people think," he said. He also claimed, “It was another influence that kept pushing Ken on her…" Ryan revealed that he learned of her correspondence with Ken only after she left. He shared, "I saw them together. I saw a picture and all that. A lot happened. It was damaging," Ryan said of having to find all this out in the public eye. "I married Gypsy because that was the one for me," he insisted. "That was who I wanted to be with the rest of my life."
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He addressed the allegations of verbal abuse, stating, "I've never physically threatened Gypsy at all, and she knows that," he maintained. "She's even said that." He admitted of their disagreement, "Gypsy said some hurtful things and I did get angry. I got upset. It's hard to hear stuff when you're going through something and she tells you something. It's hard to hear."
He continued, “It didn’t happen quite like the friend said. It’s just a disagreement and it snowballed from there. Gypsy does struggle with PTSD from what her mother did, and I hit a trauma trigger that night and she fled." He said, “I disagree with that completely. If anybody knows Gypsy, they know that she is not going to be controlled. Anybody who knows Gypsy knows that she does what she wants, when she wants."
Ryan also addressed an incident where he supposedly wouldn't let Gypsy go swimming. He said, “It was February when she wanted to go swimming. That’s in the middle of the winter, the pool was closed… That was the only thing I ever told her no to, and the reason was we were both sick and she’d have gotten pneumonia if she went swimming."
Moving On: Gypsy's Reunion with Ken and Ryan's Reflections
Following the separation, Gypsy Rose Blanchard was seen spending time with her former fiancé, Ken Urker. The two had been engaged in 2018 before calling off the engagement in 2019. Photos of them together surfaced online, further fueling speculation about the reasons for Gypsy's split from Ryan.
Ryan, on the other hand, has been left to reflect on the relationship and its aftermath. He expressed that his "pride gets in the way, my ego. You know, a lot has happened."
"The love I have for Gypsy has never gone anywhere. It's still there. You know, I married her. But it would be hard… I don't think that conversation's gonna happen, I really don't." When asked if he had any regrets about the relationship, Ryan answered, “I know that my intentions were pure, genuine, and I was there for Gypsy." While people may think they know who Ryan is, he said, "People are gonna make all kinds of judgments and assumptions."