Former Jesy Nelson has opened up about the devastating chain of events that led to the end of her engagement to Zion Foster, admitting their relationship could not survive the trauma of their twin daughters’ life-changing diagnosis.
Just four months after saying yes to a proposal, the 34-year-old singer quietly separated from Zion following the news that their daughters, Ocean Jade and Story Monroe, had been diagnosed with SMA Type 1 — the most severe form of spinal muscular atrophy, a rare genetic condition that causes progressive muscle weakness.
Speaking candidly, Jesy explained that the emotional toll of the diagnosis fundamentally changed the dynamic between her and Zion. She said they had both been through something deeply traumatic and, while their love for their daughters remains unbreakable, the “energy between us wasn’t right anymore.”
Jesy stressed that their priority has shifted entirely to co-parenting, revealing they remain friends and united in raising their girls together. She admitted that trying to protect a positive, calm environment for their children meant accepting that their romantic relationship could not continue.
The heartbreak followed what had already been an exhausting pregnancy journey. Jesy’s twins were monochorionic diamniotic identical twins and developed twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome, a dangerous condition where both babies share one placenta. After months of fear, she believed the worst was finally over when the girls were born safely — only for her world to collapse again six months later with the SMA diagnosis.
She described the moment as shattering, saying it felt like everything she had survived up to that point suddenly unravelled. Doctors had previously advised her not to compare her babies’ development to others because they were premature — guidance that later left her feeling angry and devastated when early warning signs were missed.
Now campaigning for SMA to be included in the routine newborn heel-prick test, Jesy has become a powerful voice for early diagnosis, stressing that a one-time infusion given early can dramatically change outcomes. She admitted she still feels sadness and anger knowing the treatment existed years before her daughters were born.
The split comes just ahead of the release of her deeply personal Prime Video documentary Jesy Nelson: Life After Little Mix, which captures every stage of her pregnancy, birth and the emotional aftermath. Viewers will see the close bond Jesy once shared with Zion — a man she had previously described as her best friend and the person who made her feel safe.
Jesy revealed she initially wanted to make an uplifting film she could one day show her daughters, but as events unfolded, the documentary became something far more raw. She said letting the cameras in during the darkest moments was terrifying, yet she is grateful the truth was recorded — both for her girls and to raise awareness.
After years of trolling during her time in Little Mix, and several painful break-ups, Jesy admitted motherhood has finally given her the sense of purpose she had searched for all her life. She said her daughters have changed her completely, adding that even on the hardest days, they are her reason for everything.
Despite the heartbreak, Jesy remains focused on gratitude. She acknowledged there were moments when doctors warned the twins’ survival chances were “next to nothing”, making every smile and milestone feel like a miracle.
Her message now is clear: her life belongs to her daughters, and she is determined to fight not just for them, but for every family still waiting to be heard.
