Patrick Clancy reveals why he forgave his ex-wife Lindsay: Key takeaways from interview as he plans to start a family
Patrick Clancy, the former husband of Lindsay Clancy facing accusations of murdering their three children, has stated that he would have been consumed by internal anguish indefinitely had he not extended forgiveness to her regarding their deaths.
Patrick Clancy reflected on forgiving his ex-wife Lindsay for the tragic deaths of their children, linking her actions to mental illness. (via REUTERS)Patrick Clancy discusses forgiveness, mental health after kids tragic deathDuring an interview with CBS, Patrick expressed that he performed to the best of his abilities while his then-spouse Lindsay contended with mental health challenges in the period preceding the day she asphyxiated their children.
Lindsay has not contested her involvement in their deaths. However, her legal representatives contended that she must not bear legal culpability due to her severe mental health condition.
A judicial officer announced a mistrial in the proceedings earlier this month following the jury's inability to achieve unanimous agreement regarding her guilt in the murder charge.
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The prosecution contended that on 24 January 2023, Clancy deliberately strangled all three of her children—Cora, 5, Dawson, 3, and Callan, eight months—within their residence in Duxbury, Massachusetts.
Patrick Clancy provided testimony at trial regarding the deterioration of his former spouse's mental health condition following childbirth.
Clancy's legal team asserted that she had been diagnosed with postpartum psychosis, an uncommon disorder wherein women in the postpartum period may experience manic episodes, depressive episodes, or a combination thereof.
"I didn't know how to manage a postpartum illness. I think mental illness has this ability to be tragically deceptive," he told CBS.
Patrick Clancy's decision to forgive her was primarily motivated by his awareness of her mental health struggles.
“I saw headlines that said, you know, 'Killer Mom', and 'Baby Murderer', 'Monster'. And none of them were accurate,” he stated in the interview.
“I believe that it was her mental illness that caused that. So I shared those words. And I think when it comes to forgiveness, I also felt that if I didn't get there, I would be eaten up inside forever.”
When questioned regarding whether he perceived himself to have fallen short during the period preceding the killings, he responded: I think I did the best I could with what I had at the time. And I live with the outcome. I live with it every day."
In the weeks following the tragedy, he found himself contending with profound grief, and he disclosed that he had experienced suicidal ideation. "I didn't think I would live to see my 35th birthday. And I was completely fine with it," he said.
Patrick Clancy appeared in the interview along with his newly married spouse, Dr. Rachel Danis. The couple exchanged vows in April 2026, having initially made each other's acquaintance at a New York City running club in January 2024, and they disclosed that they are starting a family.
“I think every parent can agree, you have different relationships with your kids, but they’re all your kids. And I can’t wait to tell them about their brothers and sister,” he mentioned during the interview.
Shweta Kukreti has over 8 years of experience in covering Indian and world politics. She joined the Hindustan Times in 2024 and is primarily assigned to the US desk. She currently works as Deputy Chief Content Producer and reports on a wide range of topics, including US politics, immigration issues (especially H-1B visa) and major global events. Shweta strongly emphasizes team operations, which encompasses monitoring news, delegating tasks, editing, developing comprehensive coverage strategies, and crafting engaging, and data-informed narratives. She received the Digi Star Award at the Hindustan Times within a year of joining for her broad coverage of US politics. In 2025, she earned both a promotion and a redesignation, a significant achievement recognising her contributions and the strong value she brings to the team. She has previously worked with the Indian Express, HTDS, ANI and Republic World. Seniors in all the media organisations recognised her work. Regarding education, she earned a BA (Hons.) in Political Science and a master's degree from Delhi University, and she pursued a PG Diploma in English Journalism from the Indian Institution of Mass Communication (IIMC). She also holds a diploma in Women's Empowerment and Development from IGNOU University and a French certification course from Alliance Française de Delhi. If not working, you can find her exploring the hills and engaging in adventurous activities in Rishikesh and Himachal Pradesh. She loves to play badminton, volleyball, and chess, and spend time with her friends and family. She also enjoys spiritual activities.Read More
