A Journey of Hope and Resilience
Jess Wright, a former TOWIE star, has shared an emotional update about her son Presley, who is three years old. The family has been through a challenging journey as they navigate the complexities of his congenital heart condition, bicuspid aortic valve. Despite the odds, Presley has shown remarkable improvement, which has brought a wave of relief and hope to the family.
In an exclusive clip from the upcoming episode of her podcast, Wright At Home, Jess spoke alongside her mother, Carol Wright, and sister, Natalya Wright. The episode will be released in full on April 28, offering a deeper insight into their experience.
A Rare Improvement
During the conversation, Jess revealed that doctors have noticed a rare improvement in Presley’s condition. “The other day the doctor said that actually his has reduced which is really, really rare, it doesn’t happen often,” she shared. This news came after two years of agonizing check-ups, where the family had to endure the uncertainty of each appointment.
Jess described the emotional toll of waiting for results. “You hold it together for these checks and then you kind of hold it together after because you get good news,” she said. “To be in that kind of agonising wait not knowing if it’s going to be a good result or the worst news, every four months is just not easy.”
Carol added her perspective, emphasizing that the progress was a positive sign. “It went really well, and they got good news that it’s improved. He’s going to be ok, he’s such a strong boy.” Natalya echoed this sentiment, stating, “Couldn’t have asked for better news really.”
Facing the Uncertainty
Despite the positive developments, Jess remains aware of the challenges ahead. She explained that while Presley is currently doing well, there is still a need for vigilance. “We just have to hope and pray that his heart sustains where it is at the moment because at the moment it’s ok. It’s just that we’re close to the level of where it will need operating on.”
She added, “Defying all the odds, he’s got that but he’s still completely active and really, really energetic.” Carol also shared her thoughts, noting that her grandson shows no signs of slowing down. “I could see that kid running the marathon one day, the amount of running that he does.”
A Diagnosis That Changed Everything
Jess first revealed Presley’s diagnosis in August 2024. She explained that the condition, which affects around one per cent of the population, means the heart valve has only two leaflets instead of the usual three. At the time, she admitted the news “physically hurts [her] soul” and mentioned that her son would likely need open-heart surgery at least twice in his life.
The diagnosis came after what was expected to be a routine appointment about what they thought was a chest infection shortly before his second birthday. During this visit, doctors detected a heart murmur and advised further tests. Around a month later, those tests confirmed their worst fears.
Recalling the moment, Jess told The Mirror: “It was extremely tough and something that we’re still taking our time to get over and used to – I’m not sure we ever will. I just remember sitting in between my mum and my husband and thinking, ‘I’m going to fall on the floor.’ I couldn’t even kind of hold myself up.”
She added, “It’s a case of waiting until the point where we know that his heart valves need to be replaced. So, essentially, it can happen at any moment. We’ve been told that we’ll be lucky if he gets to the age of 10 without needing it, which was the biggest blow for us, because some people can get to their 50s and not have one until then.”
A Family’s Strength
Jess shares Presley with her husband, William Lee-Kemp, 43. The couple met in 2019, married in Majorca in 2021, and welcomed their son in 2022. Before going public with the diagnosis, they spent months coming to terms with the news, hoping to raise awareness and connect with other families facing similar challenges “to know that we are not alone.”
The full episode of Wright At Home will go live on April 28, offering more insights into the family’s journey and their ongoing efforts to support others in similar situations.
