This week, my wife and I made the very difficult decision to terminate the pregnancy due to Trisomy 21.
The choice was not made lightly. We really appreciate all of the personal stories that you guys shared with us, especially the unconditional support we received from fans with no matter what we decided.
I know some of you may be very disappointed to hear this news. We are devastated. This has been extremely traumatic for both of us, especially Ashley.
She underwent the procedure earlier this week and is on the mend. Thankfully, everything went smoothly, but emotionally we are drained.
Trisomy 21, also known as Down Syndrome, is caused by an extra chromosome. It is caused by an error in cell division, like a glitch. The odds of a baby having it is 1 in 1000.
When I first confronted this news, I was shocked but optimistic. If they’re a little slow intellectually, then we’ll make it work. I signed on to be a parent, come what may…but I just didn’t fully understand what Down Syndrome entailed.
Once we made it public, it became clear that MOST people don’t know what Down Syndrome entails (and no, it’s not the same as Autism):
50% of babies with DS have heart defects. 75% will have hearing challenges. Over 50% will have vision problems. Impaired immune function, developmental disabilities, learning disabilities, delayed physical development, poor muscle tone, structural issues with face, decreased lifespan, etc…Sadly, the list is long, feel free to look it up…Down Syndome isn’t a “blessing”, it is objectively shitty from a health perspective.
I didn’t realize just how rough it is for the child, let alone the family…more often than not, they would be fully dependent on others for the rest of their life.
The miscarriage risk is also close to 50%, which made matters worse…they may never see the light of day and it puts Ashley further at risk.
We spoke with doctors, friends, family and genetic counselors and learned that up to 90% of women terminate their pregnancy after learning the baby has Trisomy 21.
This was WAY higher than I expected, I thought it would be lower given that I hear so many say they kept or would keep the baby. I believe that’s because most terminations happen privately, it feels shameful. A lot of judgment being cast.
You never think you’d be in this type of situation until it happens to you and then things change.
To all of my fans who have weighed in on this topic who have Autism, Down Syndrome or any other conditions…we appreciate you. You matter a lot and we’re glad you’re here. I commend you and your families for having the strength and courage to push forward.
As for us, we made a difficult decision that we believe in the long-run will be beneficial for our family. Thankfully, we had a choice.
It will take a little time to move on, but we are excited to try again in the future and hopefully have a better outcome.
Love you guys & thank you for understanding. ❤️
@McJuggerNuggets It’s tough to read a PR post like this that justifies murder. Lay your sin at the foot of the cross and ask for forgiveness; your son deserved to live, and you failed to protect him. Prayers for your family. Luke 23:34
Another night at our fave place! 🤩
Grab your fam, get your tix, and hit the concessions before cheering on your Ags tonight! 👏
🎟️ https://t.co/BeOaXkbLrx
Even when a game is not going well, can the @AggieSoftball account still post updates for those of us unable to watch?
Frustrating when there are no updates from B2 to final.
This goes for all sports.
I asked Braden when he started doing this, he said around his senior year of high school. I asked why. He said because it’s the right thing to do.
Super impressed.
On this National Medal of Honor Day, we stand united in honoring Aggies and all Medal of Honor Recipients, whose courage rose above the call of duty and whose valor shaped the course of history.
Bucky McMillan should win SEC Coach of the Year.
He was the last power conference head coach hired, had 0 scholarship players on the roster, and was 2 weeks late to the portal.
Last in the SEC in returning production (1.7%)
Picked to finish 13th in the preseason.
Finished 11-7 and in a tie for 4th place.
No team exceeded their preseason projected finish by more than A&M, who jumped up 9 spots.
With 14 new players, most of the roster got here by June but they had multiple preseason injuries. A&M didn’t have their first practice together as a completely healthy team until December 3rd. Then they played only 3 games together before losing Mackenzie Mgbako, their best player and a projected NBA Draft pick, for the season to a fractured foot.
They entered SEC play with 34% odds to make the NCAA Tournament according to Torvik.
@JonRothstein and @ryanhammer09 saw the vision, picking A&M as their sleeper team in the SEC, but this team was mostly ignored by the national media until their 7-1 start.
February wasn’t pretty, but they rallied to win 4 of their last 6 games and fight their way into the NCAA Tournament and tie for fourth place in the toughest league in the country.
They’re the shortest team in the league, have one player in their top 8 rotation taller than 6-foot-7, have just one player averaging over 12 PPG, and no elite one on one defenders. Yet they found a way to win 11 games and finish with a top 3 defense in the SEC, per KenPom. That’s a well-coached, bought in team.
Someone please find me a better story and a better coaching job than a team most people thought would win 4 games in the SEC losing their best player and still finishing at the top of the league.
You can’t find one. Bucky McMillan should be your 2026 Coach of the Year in the SEC...
And it’s not even close 👍