Jesy Nelson has opened up for the first time about the heartbreaking breakdown of her relationship with former fiancé Zion Foster, revealing that the unimaginable challenges of caring for their seriously ill twin daughters ultimately drove them apart.
The former Little Mix star shares daughters Ocean Jade and Story Monroe with Zion. The girls were diagnosed with Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) Type 1, the most severe form of the rare genetic condition that affects muscle strength, movement, breathing and swallowing.
The emotional revelations feature in Jesy Nelson: Life Changing, the new Prime Video documentary premiering on July 17, which follows the family’s journey after receiving the devastating diagnosis.
Speaking candidly about their separation, Jesy admitted the trauma changed every aspect of their relationship.
“It’s a very traumatic thing that we’ve both been through,” she said. “I think it’s quite inevitable for things like this to happen to couples.
“I don’t think it’s a shock that we’ve broken up.
“You’ll either be a team or it’ll tear you apart and unfortunately I feel that’s what it’s done to me and Zion.”
Despite ending their engagement, Jesy stressed there is no bitterness between them.
“We still get on, there’s not bad feeling,” she explained.
“My main priority is them. I just want to be the best mum with the best energy and positivity possible.
“The house was not like that when we were together.
“We’re both dealing with this situation completely differently, and together we were clashing. I decided we would be better off apart.
“It’s hard. It’s just me and mum now.”
The documentary captures the devastating moment doctors informed the couple that Ocean and Story had SMA Type 1 — news that left both parents emotionally shattered.
Breaking down in tears, Jesy confessed she feared the pain would never truly disappear.
“I really thought my hard days were over. I can’t believe this is happening,” she said through sobs.
“I feel heartbroken and I feel like I’m going to be heartbroken for the rest of my life.”
Meanwhile, Zion openly admitted he struggled to cope with the overwhelming reality of their daughters’ diagnosis.
“I’m not equipped to deal with this. I’m out of my depth; emotionally, physically and mentally,” he said.
“At the moment I’m surviving.
“I just need to get help.”
Jesy acknowledged they were both desperately trying to process an unimaginable situation.
“I think we’re both thinking, ‘how the f*** are we going to do this’, And we will because we have to. We don’t have a choice. It’s really f***ing hard.”
Reflecting on Zion’s emotional struggles, she added: “I can tell he’s really struggling.
“For a 26-year-old to have to now be put in this situation… I feel like I can see his life flashing before his eyes.”
The documentary also shows that, despite the immense strain, Jesy initially believed they would overcome the crisis together.
“We’ve been tested in every single way possible since the babies,” she said.
“It’s so weird as well because we’re so silly [as a couple]. I think it’s going to take a while for us to get back to that again.
“I so believe we will because it’s just a journey isn’t it and we have got to get through it together.”
However, the relationship ultimately came to an end late last year, just four months after the couple became engaged.
Even after their split, the former couple remain committed to raising Ocean and Story together, with sources insisting they remain united when it comes to their daughters’ care.
The documentary also revisits Jesy’s difficult pregnancy. After announcing in January 2025 that they were expecting identical twins, the singer underwent emergency in-utero surgery when the babies developed twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome (TTTS), before giving birth prematurely in May.
Now, Jesy hopes that sharing her family’s journey will shine a light on SMA while documenting both the heartbreak and resilience that have defined the most challenging chapter of her life.
