Jesy Nelson's ex breaks silence with new statement after facing backlash for 'abandoning' children after split

Zion Foster has broken his silence after facing accusations that he abandoned ex-fiancée Jesy Nelson and their twin daughters following the breakdown of their relationship.

The 26-year-old rapper took to Instagram on Wednesday with an emotional two-part statement, insisting his comments about feeling "out of my depth" had been misunderstood after viewers watched the trailer for Jesy Nelson's forthcoming Prime Video documentary.

"I've stayed quiet because my focus has always been where it should be: on my children," Mr Foster began.

"Reading some of the comments over the last few days has been incredibly painful because they simply aren't true."

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The statement comes after Ms Nelson revealed in her documentary that the couple's relationship ended following the devastating diagnosis of their twin daughters, Ocean Jade and Story Monroe, who both have Spinal Muscular Atrophy Type 1 (SMA).

In the documentary, Mr Foster admitted: "I'm not equipped to deal with this. I'm out of my depth; emotionally, physically and mentally."

His remarks prompted criticism on social media, with some viewers accusing him of walking away from his responsibilities as a father.

Addressing the backlash directly, Mr Foster wrote: "When I said I was 'out of my depth', I wasn't saying I was walking away from my children or abandoning my responsibilities as a father.

"I was talking about the overwhelming reality of suddenly facing a rare and complex medical diagnosis that I knew nothing about."

He continued: "I was being honest.

"I didn't have the knowledge. I didn't have the experience. I was scared. I was trying to process emotions that no parent ever hopes to face."

The rapper stressed that admitting he was struggling did not mean he had abandoned his family.

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A post shared by Zion Foster (@zionfoster)

"Being out of my depth meant I was learning. It meant I was trying to understand. It never meant I didn't love my daughters or that I wasn't going to be there for them.

"I love my girls more than words could ever express. They are my world and always will be."

In a second statement, Mr Foster addressed his split from the former Little Mix star.

"The end of a relationship does not mean the end of fatherhood," he wrote.

"Jesy made the decision to end our relationship, and although I respect that, it does not change the fact that I remain committed to my daughters in every way I possibly can."

Mr Foster said he attends "every appointment" and spends time educating himself about his daughters' condition.

"I ask questions. I listen. I learn. I support them however I can because being their father is the greatest responsibility and privilege of my life," he wrote.

He added: "Please don't mistake vulnerability for abandonment. They're not the same thing.

"Asking for help or admitting you don't have all the answers doesn't make someone a bad father. It makes them human."

The emotional posts concluded with the musician insisting he had "never stopped" loving or fighting for his daughters.

"I know who I am. The people closest to me know the truth. Most importantly, one day my daughters will know that I never stopped loving them, never stopped fighting for them and never stopped being their dad."

He thanked supporters for their compassion, saying their kindness "means more than you'll ever know".

Alongside the statement, Mr Foster also released a new song dedicated to Ocean and Story, sharing it on Instagram with the caption: "I was out of my depth, still do everything for my girls."

The track was met with a warm response from supporters, with one fan writing: "This is fire!!"

Another commented: "Proud of u bro man."

A third added: "Bro you deserve the world."

The positive reaction contrasted with comments left on Mr Foster's earlier posts following the documentary revelations, where some social media users accused him of prioritising music over parenting and urged him to "man up" and support his family.

"Got time to make music whilst your daughters suffer and their mamma does it all!!!" one critic penned.

Another demanded: "Look after your baby momma and her children." (sic)

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