Jesy Nelson had an emotional reaction to seeing her twins, Story and Ocean, in their spinal jackets after they were diagnosed with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA).
“I’ve cried all day,” the Little Mix member, 35, wrote alongside a video of her daughters wearing spinal jackets shared via Instagram on Friday, July 10. “Imagine having to wear a spinal jacket and splints in this heat.”
Nelson continued, “I cannot even tell you how much this breaks my heart into a million pieces. But if I don’t put them in these every day, their spines and feet will only deteriorate and get worse.”
The “DNA” singer explained that jackets will “never correct” her daughters’ spines but they are used to “prevent” the condition from worsening.
“Once again no future SMA babies need to suffer like this if they are given a heel prick test and treatment from birth,” she concluded.
Nelson and ex fiancé Zion Foster welcomed Story and Ocean, 14 months, in May 2025 following a high-risk pregnancy. Earlier this year, Nelson revealed that the twins were diagnosed with a “severe muscle disease.”
“A few months ago, my mum noticed that the girls were not showing as much movement in their legs as they should be,” she said in a January Instagram Reel. “[It] wasn’t really a concern to me at the time because from the minute I left the NICU, I was told, ‘Your babies are premature, so do not compare your babies to other babies. They won’t reach the same milestones. Take them as they are.’”
After taking her little ones to the doctor, she was told that they were “healthy” and looking “fine.” However, Nelson noticed that her daughters’ did not appear to be improving.
“A few signs then started to show a bit later on that they were struggling to feed properly. It was getting gradually less and less and less,” she continued. “Long story short, after the most grueling three [or] four months and endless appointments, the girls have now been diagnosed with a severe muscle disease called SMA Type 1.”
SMA is an incurable genetic condition that causes worsening muscle weakness, according to the Cleveland Clinic. There are five subtypes of SMA and Type 1 is the most severe. Symptoms arise within the first six months of an infant’s life. Those who have SMA experience limited head control and decreased muscle tone (hypotonia) as well as difficulty swallowing and breathing. Children diagnosed SMA Type 1 are not expected to make it past their second birthday.
“When [the doctors] assessed the girls, we were told they’re probably never going to be able to walk,” Nelson tearfully said in the video. “They’ll probably never regain any strength, so they will be disabled. The best thing we can do right now is get them treatment and just hope for the best.”
One month after getting her twins’ diagnosis, Nelson opened up about her hopes that her children will beat the odds.
“It’s not OK, but it is what it is, and I just have to accept it, and now just try and make the best out of this situation,” she recalled during a February episode of Jamie Laing’s “Great Company” podcast. “And my girls are the strongest, most resilient babies and I really believe that they are going to defy all the odds.”
