Olympic gold medalist Shawn Johnson and husband Andrew East, a former NFL player, recently revealed they had a miscarriage in an emotional video on their YouTube channel. “We feel like a lot of people go through this so we wanted to share it, ” Johnson says in tears.
The 20-minute video speaks to the up and downs of Johnson’s pregnancy – from learning she was pregnant via two at-home pregnancy tests and sharing the news with her husband to experiencing stomach pains, which we later learn are a result of a natural miscarriage at six weeks along. “The past 48 hours have been some of the happiest, scariest, and saddest times of my life,” she wrote in an accompanying blog post.
Toward the end of the video, Johnson and East are shown driving to the doctor where the tragic news is confirmed by an ultrasound. “It sucks … Having a doctor confirm that you miscarried doesn’t feel good,” Johnson says after hearing hers emphasize two things: she was not to blame and that chromosomally it just didn’t work.
Studies show that about 15 to 20 percent of all women with a verified pregnancy will end up having a miscarriage, and according to the couple, this video was meant to encourage others who have experienced similar issues. “We’re here for you guys, we love you guys,” Johnson says before East adds, “Know you’re not the only one going through whatever you’re going through. ”
“This won’t stop us,” Johnson says at the end. Watch the inspiring video below.