Clay Walker Reveals His Wife, Jessica, Suffered A Miscarriage at 20 Weeks: ‘It Felt Like We Got Run Over By A Train’
The heartbreaking news comes just 7 weeks after the couple’s 13-week checkup
Clay Walker’s wife Jessica suffered a miscarriage at 20 weeks pregnant.
The country superstar exclusively revealed the sad news with PEOPLE, admitting to the outlet that “the whole family had been waiting for the baby and it was really, just a huge blow.”
“It felt like we got run over by a train and just watching my wife suffer through that,” Walker shared. ”I feel for all the women out there who have been through a miscarriage, just because you’re losing a child. I just don’t know how moms make it through the rest of their lives with that kind of pain. It’s just so, so deep. And you know, as a husband and a father, not being able to do anything about it, not being able to protect my wife’s feelings or the baby, sucks.”
Walker and his wife already began shopping and renovating their home to prepare for the arrival of their sixth child together.
“We had her room ready, her clothes bought — everything, and her name, Eleanora Lindsey,” Walker continued. “So, it was a nightmare and still is for my wife. We were at 20 weeks, and we’d already made it through the toughest part. We’ve had five successful full-term pregnancies and five beautiful children. It’s tough.”
The miscarriage comes just 7 weeks after the couple’s 13-week checkup, where there were no signs of any complications.
“We had the 13-week checkup and we saw her doing acrobats,” the “She Won’t Be Lonely Long” singer added. “We were laughing so hard because she was so active. And just everything was so perfect.”
The 53-year-old singer/songwriter and his wife are leaning heavily on their faith and friends to get through this difficult time and mourn such a devastating loss.
“We’ve got a great friend group that’s been there for us, you know, a lot of prayer,” the father of eight explained. “And we’ve had a lot of prayer internally in our home. But still, you know, I could talk all day about this.”
The couple first announced their pregnancy on Tuesday, April 11, where they shared that they were expecting a daughter in the fall. Clay Walker and Jessica are currently raising their four sons, Christaan, 2, Ezra, 5, Elijah, 10, and William, 14, and one daughter, Mary-Elizabeth, 13.
Clay Walker and his wife Jessica Craig met at the 39th Annual CMA Awards in New York in 2005.
He later proposed to Jessica in November of 2006 on the steps of St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in Galveston, Texas, which is the same place Jessica’s grandfather asked her grandmother to marry him. The elaborate proposal included a horse-drawn carriage ride as well as a quartet, who sang “Edelweiss,” a tune from the iconic film, The Sound Of Music. Jessica’s parents and Clay’s two children from his prior marriage were also present to witness the proposal.
In September of 2007, Clay and Jessica tied the knot in New Orleans.
Among all the challenges that come in life, one of Walker’s biggest personal obstacles has been to battle the chronic disease, Multiple Sclerosis (MS).
The country star has lived with his diagnosis since 1996. Luckily, in order to continue his demanding career as an artist, he’s found success in the combination of a treatment plan and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. This means staying on track when it comes to nutrition and exercise as well as keeping up with his prescribed medication.
“When I was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, I never asked God ‘why,’” Walker told the outlet. “But you know if I make it to heaven, [asking why this had to happen to us] is going to be my first question. There’s no understanding this for me, and especially for a mom that’s the greatest mom. She just tries to be the best mom and wife that she can be. It’s unfair.”
Clay Walker is best known for hits such as “If I Could Make A Living,” “This Woman And This Man,” “Live Until I Die” and “She Won’t Be Lonely Long.” He has released eleven studio albums, including a Christmas project and Greatest Hits album. His first four albums have gone on to earn Platinum certification in the United States, while his fifth studio album and his holiday project achieve Gold certifications.
Over the course of his three-decade career, he has charted over 30 singles on the Hot Country Songs chart and earned 11 No. 1 hits.
Additionally, Clay Walker is currently in the midst of his 2023 Country Side Tour, which kicked off on February 1 in Clearwater, Florida at Ruth Eckerd Hall. The trek is scheduled to run through July 29, where it wraps up in Stockville, NE at Frontier County Fairgrounds. Additional tour dates are expected to be announced soon.
For a full list of Clay Walker’s upcoming tour dates and additional information, visit his official website HERE.
Lauren Jo Black, a University of Central Florida graduate, has immersed herself in the world of country music for over 15 years. In 2008, she co-founded CountryMusicIsLove, eventually selling it to a major record label in 2015. Following the rebranding of the website to Sounds Like Nashville, Black served as Editor-in-Chief for two and a half years. Currently, she assumes the role of Editor-in-Chief at Country Now and oversees Country Now’s content and digital footprint. Her extensive experience also encompasses her previous role as a Country Music Expert Writer for Answers.com and her work being featured on Forbes.com. She’s been spotlighted among Country Aircheck’s Women of Influence and received the 2012 Rising Star Award from the University of Central Florida. Black also spent time in front of the camera as host of Country Now Live, which brought live music directly to fans in 2021 when the majority of concerts were halted due to the pandemic. During this time, she hosted 24 weeks of live concerts via Country Now Live on Twitch with special guests such as Lady A, Dierks Bentley, Jordan Davis, Brett Young, and Jon Pardi. Over the course of her career, she has had the privilege of conducting interviews with some of the industry’s most prominent stars, including Reba McEntire, Blake Shelton, Luke Combs, Carrie Underwood, Luke Bryan, Miranda Lambert, Lainey Wilson, and many others. Lauren Jo Black is a longtime member of the Country Music Association and the Academy of Country Music.
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