YouTuber Jesse Ridgway has spoken out after facing intense criticism online for revealing that he and his wife, Ashley Ridgway, recently terminated a pregnancy following a prenatal diagnosis of Trisomy 21, also known as Down syndrome.The influencer, known to millions of subscribers as McJuggerNuggets, announced earlier that the couple had made the "very difficult decision" to end the pregnancy after learning their unborn son had a high likelihood of being born with the genetic condition.— McJuggerNuggets (@McJuggerNuggets) Pregnancy announcementJesse and Ashley Ridgway announced in March that they were expecting their first child. A few weeks later, the couple revealed that prenatal genetic testing showed their unborn son had a 95% chance of being born with Down syndrome.Down syndrome is a genetic condition caused by an extra copy of chromosome 21. Instead of the usual 46 chromosomes, a person with Down syndrome has 47, which can affect how the brain and body develop, according to the Cleveland Clinic.Internet backlash and Jesse's responseFollowing the announcement of terminating the pregnancy, Ridgway and his wife became the target of widespread backlash across social media."I've never seen such hate and vitriol for two people grieving the loss of their unborn child and making an impossible decision," Ridgway wrote in a lengthy post on X.— McJuggerNuggets (@McJuggerNuggets) According to Ridgway, the reaction included being called "murderous pieces of shit," comparisons to Adolf Hitler, and what he described as "NON-STOP DEATH THREATS." He also alleged that critics used details about his personal life, including his dog's health condition, to attack the couple."The last 24 hours have exposed a side of humanity that is deeply disturbing," he wrote.Ridgway criticized individuals who invoked religion while condemning the couple's decision, calling it "hypocritical" to threaten them while claiming to act in the name of God or Jesus.Addressing those who argued that they would have chosen adoption or raised a child with Down syndrome, Ridgway said he respected those choices but maintained that every family must make its own decision.Reason behind Jesse Ridgway's decision"There has been tremendous stories of people who kept their Down Syndrome baby and that's awesome! Very courageous and they do look very happy! That is your choice and I support it. This was ours and we can do that," he wrote.The YouTuber also expressed surprise that his family's experience had become a major news story, noting that pregnancy terminations following Trisomy 21 diagnoses are not uncommon."What shocked me most of all was that this story has become mainstream news... A couple's abortion is suddenly newsworthy in 2026?" he wrote.Ridgway argued that public discussions around such experiences remain rare because many families fear judgment and backlash. He said numerous women had privately contacted him and Ashley after their announcement, sharing similar experiences and thanking them for speaking openly."The reason this blew up is quite simple: IT'S BECAUSE NOBODY TALKS ABOUT IT," he said.Jesse Ridgway's praise for his wife AshleyDespite the controversy, Ridgway said he does not regret discussing the matter publicly and hopes the conversation encourages others to share their experiences without shame."Hopefully, our story has inspired others to open up more and we can all find understanding," he wrote.The content creator concluded by thanking supporters and praising his wife for handling both the procedure and the online criticism. "My wife is a bad-ass," he wrote. "Not only did she go through this trauma, but she's dealing with all the freaks on the Internet in stride."Down syndrome is the most common chromosome-related condition in the United States. According to Cleveland Clinic, around 6,000 babies are born with the condition in the US each year, about 1 in every 700 births. An estimated 200,000 people in the country are living with Down syndrome.