Bachelorette star Emily Maynard Johnson is speaking out for the first time since it was revealed she will become a grandmother at 39 years old.
The former reality star appeared on her daughter Ricki Hendrick‘s Instagram Story on Thursday, Sept. 11, to address the situation for the first time. Hendrick, 20, is currently expecting a daughter — and she has not publicly shared who the father of the child is.
The post featured a question sent in by a follower which reads, “Your [family ‘s] opinion on a baby outside of marriage 😬 [?]”
“Very against it, I cannot believe anybody would ever do that,” Maynard joked, referencing her own teen pregnancy outside of marriage with Hendrick. “Unforgivable.”
In a second post, Hendrick joked that her mother was “devastated” and “pissed” while showing bundles of baby clothes Maynard had purchased for her grandchild.
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Hendrick first announced her pregnancy on Aug. 26 by sharing an ultrasound photo to her Instagram Story. She also shared a video of her baby on the video monitor taken during a doctor’s appointment.
Her Instagram bio has since been updated to read, “The first ever 20 year old to get pregnant.”
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Bachelor Nation first got to know Hendrick while her mom was on The Bachelor and The Bachelorette. Maynard is a fan-favorite of the franchise, with many admiring her strength following the death of her fiancée Ricky Hendrick, who is Ricki’s father.
Ricky, a NASCAR driver, died in a plane crash in October 2004. Maynard was 18 at the time and didn’t realize she was pregnant until after Ricky’s passing. She went on — and won — Brad Womack‘s season of The Bachelor in 2011 before becoming The Bachelorette in 2012.
During her season, Maynard accepted a proposal from Jef Holm before breaking up several months later. She has since married Tyler Johnson and welcomed five additional children with him.
This story was originally reported by Parade on Sep 12, 2025, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Parade as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
