Gypsy Rose Blanchard, who served nearly 10 years in prison for her role in her mother’s murder, is speaking out publicly for the first time since her release last month. In interviews with several media outlets, Gypsy describes her plans to live life to the fullest, reconnect with family, and possibly pursue a career as an advocate for abuse victims.
Overview of the Gypsy Rose Blanchard Case
Gypsy Rose Blanchard made national headlines in 2015 when she and her boyfriend Nicholas Godejohn were charged with the gruesome murder of her mother, Dee Dee Blanchard. For years prior, Dee Dee had subjected Gypsy to extensive medical child abuse, falsely claiming her daughter suffered from leukemia, muscular dystrophy, and other ailments in order to gain sympathy and charitable donations.
Dee Dee kept Gypsy confined to a wheelchair and on medication she did not need. At age 23, Gypsy began online dating and struck up a relationship with Godejohn. The two made plans for Godejohn to come to Missouri and kill Dee Dee so Gypsy could escape her abuse. On June 14, 2015, Godejohn stabbed Dee Dee to death in her sleep.
Gypsy ultimately accepted a plea deal and was sentenced to 10 years in prison for second-degree murder. Godejohn received a life sentence after being convicted of first-degree murder by a jury.
Life After Prison
Gypsy, now 32, walked free on December 30, 2023, after serving 85% of her sentence. In her first televised interview, Gypsy told ABC’s Good Morning America that she plans to savor her freedom and not take any day for granted.
“I want to enjoy life,” she said. “I want to just soak up nature, go to concerts, travel, make friends.”
Sources close to Gypsy also report she hopes to reconnect with family members, including her father and stepmother who she has not seen in over a decade.
“She wants to focus on rebuilding broken relationships,” the source stated.
Additionally, there is speculation Gypsy has aspirations of becoming a public speaker or advocate for victims of Munchausen syndrome by proxy (MSBP) – the mental illness that compelled her mother to abuse her.
“I’d like to bring more attention to MSBP so no one else suffers the way I did,” Gypsy told GMA. “Sharing my story could help other victims come forward.”
Strict Parole Requirements
Although now free, Gypsy must comply with strict conditions as part of her parole which extends through 2026. She is banned from having any contact with ex-boyfriend Godejohn and cannot leave Missouri without permission from her parole officer. Gypsy also must continue mental health treatment.
Additionally, public records show Gypsy married a man named Ryan Scott Anderson last year while in prison. The circumstances around their relationship and current status of the marriage remain unclear.
When asked by TMZ if being newly married complicates her ability to live life to the fullest, Gypsy declined to comment.
Potential Millions from Media Deals
Sources say Gypsy has already been offered lucrative media deals telling her story, with the potential to earn millions. The Daily Mail reports several television networks are vying for her first on-camera interview, while publishers bid for the rights to a tell-all memoir. There is also interest from production companies looking to adapt the Gypsy Rose case into a scripted TV series.
Additionally, analysts predict if Gypsy pursues being a public figure advocating against MSBP abuse, she could earn income from speaking engagements,consulting opportunities, sponsorship deals, and possibly even her own nonprofit.
“Brands want her endorsement,” notes marketing expert Marie Calloway. “She has a compelling and heroic story of surviving years of child abuse. Advertisers see dollar signs trying to attach themselves to that.”
While Gypsy remains mum about any pending media or business deals, her potential to profit as an celebrity influencer is undeniable.
“She could easily make millions,” affirms Calloway.
Lingering Medical Issues
Despite her big plans, Gypsy’s path forward may be complicated by ongoing medical problems stemming from the years of needless procedures and medication forced on her as a child.
In her GMA interview, Gypsy admitted to being hooked on strong prescription painkillers in prison to treat lingering back pain and becoming suicidal from withdrawal.
“The drugs changed my brain,” said Gypsy. “I was prescribed opiates since I was eight…I didn’t know how to function without pain meds.”
Gypsy’s attorney and family confirm she continues struggling with substance abuse issues and chronic health problems related bone defects, sleep apnea and more from her mother’s medical abuse.
“It’s an uphill battle trying to reclaim her life when her body is damaged from what her mom did,” said her father Rod Blanchard.
How these medical conditions impact Gypsy’s plans or ability to capitalize on media opportunities remains to be seen.
Public Reacts to Gypsy’s Release
The court of public opinion on Gypsy Rose remains sharply divided, with some hailing her as heroic survivor finally free from her mom’s control while others decry her as a cold-blooded murderer.
Supporters Applaud Gypsy
Advocates for Gypsy point to decades of MSBP child abuse she endured and argue Dee Dee’s murder was unavoidable.
“That woman tortured and starved Gypsy all those years. She’s the real victim here,” posted one supporter online.
Many express hope Gypsy will find peace and purpose.
“That poor girl deserved freedom after what her sick mom put her through” commented Melissa Royce. “I applaud Gypsy for surviving and wish her the very best.”
Critics Question Lenient Sentencing
However, others counter regardless of her mom’s abuse, Gypsy still willingly participated in pre-meditated murder and should face harsher punishment.
“She literally had her boyfriend stab her mom and got just 10 years. How is that justice?” remarked Susan Bailey.
Critics compare her light sentencing to other women of color imprisoned for self-defense against abusers. Some call her impending wealth from media deals further evidence of white privilege.
Mental Health Experts Urge Compassion
Mental health advocates discourage the public narrative that Gypsy was either an abuse victim driven to an inevitable breaking point, or a scheming murderous mastermind.
“The story people want to hear is she either had no agency or was a criminal manipulator. The truth is more complicated,” says Dr. Laura Waterman, a child psychology professor.
Waterman argues the extreme MSBP deprivation warped Gypsy’s development.
“We can have compassion for what she suffered, while also recognizing involvement in her mom’s murder warrants serious consequence.”
What’s Next for Gypsy Rose?
As Gypsy Rose Blanchard navigates her newfound media spotlight and independence, several questions loom about what comes next.
Will she reveal more details about what specifically prompted the fateful late-night murder plot? Are there still unresolved feelings toward her incarcerated ex-boyfriend Godejohn?
If offered a lucrative book or movie deal, how will Gypsy share her story ethically without glorifying the killing? Could she face civil suits from her mom’s family over profiting from the murder?
And most importantly – now untethered from her mom’s domineering control for the first time as an adult, who is the real Gypsy without the wheelchair and feeding tube? Will her health and substance abuse recovery allow her to achieve her dreams?
Only time will tell what this next chapter holds. For now, Gypsy Rose anesthetically embodies society’s conflicting views on agency, punishment, sensationalism, and redemption. She is complex trauma victim, complicit perpetrator, media commodity, and agent of her own fate all rolled into one polarizing persona.
In her quest to reclaim her life, perhaps Gypsy alone can determine if there are any right answers.
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