Ellie Goldstein’s mum has recalled the awful comment a nurse made to her when doctor’s diagnosed her daughter with Down’s syndrome shortly after birth.
The model, 23, who was the first contestant with the genetic condition to appear on Strictly Come Dancing, lost her spot in the competition after two weeks ago.
She has defied all expectations since her birth in 2001, going on to make history as the first model with Down’s syndrome to feature in major fashion campaigns and cover Vogue.
Reflecting on her daughter’s difficult birth, her mum Yvonne, recalled how doctors broke the news about Ellie’s Down syndrome diagnosis and asked if she wanted to leave her at the hospital.
Joining Paul C. Brunson on his podcast, We Need To Talk, she explained how a nurse shockingly said: ‘The last mother who had one of these left it here. Do you want to do that?’
Yvonne recalled: ‘I had my usual scans and everything, and it was about two weeks or so before the due date and something didn’t feel right.’
Ellie Goldstein ‘s mum has recalled the awful comment a nurse made to her when doctor’s diagnosed her daughter with Down’s syndrome shortly after birth
Reflecting on her daughter’s difficult birth, her mum Yvonne, recalled how doctors broke the news about Ellie’s diagnosis and asked if she wanted to leave her at the hospital
She continued: ‘I went for another scan and she was literally stuck across my stomach. So they decided I needed a caesarean.
‘She came out and the glimpse I saw of her, she was completely purple, the cord was wrapped round her neck. But they sorted her that was all fine.
‘They still hadn’t brought her over to us. They said, “There’s a problem.” But no one would talk to us. Then the midwife said, “We think she’s got Down’s syndrome.”
‘They said: “Do not feed her. Don’t do anything.” She was screaming for a bottle. Four hours went past before anyone came back to see us.
‘It was very odd. You’re thinking the worst, obviously. Then a team of seven people came in. He scooped her out of the cot, held in the air like this in her little nappy. ‘This is Ellie. She’s got Down’s syndrome. She will never walk, talk or go to university. University?”
‘She’s just been born. My husband and I were like, ‘What do we do? What are we meant to do?’
‘I said, “Can I feed her?” and they were like, “Well, she needs checking. She probably won’t be able to drink.” We gave her a bottle and she was fine.
‘Then this other nurse came in and looked at Ellie said, “Oh, the last mother who had one of these left it here. Do you want to do that?”.’
The model, 23, who was the first contestant with the genetic condition to appear on Strictly, lost her spot in the competition after two weeks ago and has defied all expectations birth
Yvonne said: ‘This other nurse came in and looked at Ellie said, “Oh, the last mother who had one of these left it here. Do you want to do that?”‘
Elsewhere in the chat, Ellie said she is still attending training sessions with professional dancer Vito, 33, as he teaches her all the dances ‘she didn’t get a chance to learn’ on the show
Elsewhere in the chat, Ellie said she is still attending training sessions with professional dancer Vito, 33, as he teaches her all the dances ‘she didn’t get a chance to learn’ on the show.
The duo share a close bond, with Ellie saying how her ‘brother’ Vito ‘brightens up the room’ and still leaves her a sweet voicenote every night.
Ellie exclaimed: ‘Vito is the best guy in the world! I got voted off on Halloween week. Don’t know why I got voted off. But it’s fine, I’m grateful.
‘Unfortunately, I was a bit too sad. But Vito said “Come on cheeky.” We did our bye byes. We had a little dance. And he picked me up and hugged me and said: “I love you, my sister.” That was the best.’
‘When I got eliminated he said to me “are we ever going to dance again?”. I went, “Yeah, let’s keep dancing! I can’t wait to dance with you again, Vito!”’
Her mum, Yvonne, explained how they they are continuing to learn all the dances that she never got a chance to do on the show.
Ellie added: ‘I’ve done the jive. Now, it’s Foxtrot. Tomorrow we are going to learn more.
‘We are brother and sister. When we’re going training, literally, he brightens up the room, that’s how much. A lot of positivity, I can’t wait to tell him what I’ve done today.
‘Every night, I get voice messages from him. It is so, so cute.’
Ellie added that despite having a hugely successful career as a model, actress and influencer, and becoming the first model with Down syndrome to grace the cover of British Vogue, speaking on Strictly was still better.
‘Best, best feeling is easily Strictly,’ she stated after discussing her successes.
Ellie has been flown to Sweden, Italy and Germany for photoshoots, and strutted her stuff on the catwalk at London Fashion Week.
The model won praise from learning disability charity Mencap, after her departure from Strictly Come Dancing with partner Vito.
She went head to head with Balvinder Sopal on a dance-off on November 3 however the EastEnders star survived her third dance-off and Ellie was sent home.
Following her departure, Jon Sparkes OBE, Chief Executive of Mencap said: ‘We are so proud of our Mencap Myth Buster Ellie for her incredible journey on Strictly…
‘Ellie has done a fantastic job of showing the nation what people with a learning disability can achieve when they’re given the spotlight to shine.’
Ellie said: ‘We are brother and sister. When we’re going training, literally, he brightens up the room, that’s how much. A lot of positivity, I can’t wait to tell him what I’ve done today’
Vito left viewers in tears during their exit as he branded Ellie ‘his perfect angel’, while adding: ‘I’ve never had a little sister but I always wanted one. Now, I have you and you’re my little sister forever, and your big brother is always by your side.’
The spooktacular Strictly results show saw Ellie and Vito leave the competition after performing performed their Tango to Abracadabra by Lady Gaga in the dance off against Balvinder and Julian Caillon.
The judges were unanimous in their decision, with Anton Du Beke, Craig Revel Horwood and Motsi Mabuse all choosing to save Balvinder – who has already faced two dance-offs against Ross King and Chris Robshaw.
Head Judge Shirley Ballas – who this week was the judge with the casting vote – said that she would have also chosen to save Balvinder and Julian however added that she thought ‘Ellie was also outstanding throughout the whole competition’.
When asked about how much she enjoyed dancing with Vito, Ellie said: ‘I’ve enjoyed it so much! He is a kind person and all I wanted from day one.’
Vito responded with his incredible speech, saying: ‘Honestly, there are no words I can use to describe how proud I am of you and you did really change my life so much. You made me such a better person.
‘At the beginning of this year, I said to myself please, please, please can you send me a beautiful angel into my life? And now you arrived…
‘I’ve never had a little sister but I always wanted one. Now, I have you and you’re my little sister forever, and your big brother is always by your side.’
