Former NCAA swimmer Riley Gaines has joined the growing online debate surrounding YouTuber Jesse Ridgway and his wife Ashley Ridgway after the couple revealed they ended a pregnancy when tests showed their unborn child had a high chance of having Trisomy 21, commonly known as Down syndrome.
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The discussion gained attention across social media after Jesse Ridgway shared the news on June 3, 2026. In a series of posts, he said the decision was one of the hardest moments of their lives and described the experience as emotionally painful. A day later, on June 4, Gaines reacted on X, where she wrote, “Down Syndrome lives matter. Let’s get it trending.” Her post quickly became part of a larger conversation that drew strong reactions from people on both sides of the issue.
