Trigger Warning: This story contains mentions of child loss. 

Former 16 and Pregnant star Whitney Purvis is remembering her son Weston Gosa Jr. on what would’ve been his 17th birthday. 

As you may remember, Weston Jr.– who was born to Whitney and ex Weston Gosa on Season 1 of the MTV series– tragically passed away  last year at the age of 16. 

After the teen’s death, Whitney accused her ex– with whom she also shares son River– of not giving their son proper medical care. At the time of Weston Jr.’s death, Whitney did not have custody of him or his brother River, and hadn’t for a number of years. Instead, both boys had been living with their dad and stepmom, Amy Gosa, who raised them. (Whitney gave birth to another son in 2023, who was not fathered by Weston Sr.) 

View this post on Instagram

On Thursday, Whitney took to Facebook to remember her first-born son, telling fans that Weston Jr. would’ve been 17 years old today.

“I wasn’t sure how I was going to feel today but it is like joy and pain coexisting simultaneously,” Whitney wrote. “I try hard not to think of what could have been, the why’s or how life could have been different cause those thoughts don’t really help anything but I wish more than anything he was here.

“He was my greatest accomplishment in life, he was such a good person, so funny and wise beyond his years,” she continued. “He hated when I called him beautiful but he didn’t really understand he was just so beautiful inside and out in so many ways.” 

Whitney went on to write in her post that she had been looking at old photos and videos of Weston Jr. and reminiscing, before recalling one of her favorite memories of the two of them watching a movie and laughing together. 

“I’d rather think of all our good memories today than to be sad,” she wrote. “One of the best days of my life was April 2, 2009. Life was never the same after that. I love you so much. Happy 17th birthday, Little Weston.”

Weston Jr.’s death was confirmed on Facebook last year by both Whitney and Amy, with Amy revealing in her post that 16-year-old Weston Jr. was discovered around 7 a.m. on June 2 and he wasn’t breathing.  

“We attempted CPR and called an ambulance. The paramedics attempted it as well and took him to the hospital in Gordon County [Georgia] where he was pronounced dead,” she wrote, adding that Weston Jr. had several health issues, including diabetes. 

Weston Sr. later revealed in his tribute to Weston Jr. that his late son had been struggling with health issues in recent years, noting that the teen was now “free from all the complications [he] had to deal with for the last 6 years or so.” 

(On “16 and Pregnant,” Weston Jr. was diagnosed with a genetic disorder called Alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency, which meant that his body did not produce enough of the AAT protein that helps protect the liver and lungs.)  

As The Ashley previously reported, a month after Weston Jr.’s death, Whitney was arrested for felony Aggravated Involuntary Murder for allegedly distributing Tranq– a drug containing a combination of fentanyl and xylazine– to a friend of hers who died in February 2025 after taking the drug. In January, she was officially charged with seven felonies, including Aggravated Involuntary Murder; she went on to enter a “not guilty” plea the following month. 

While Weston Sr. initially spoke out after Whitney’s arrest last summer, telling TMZ at the time that he hoped the incident would be the “wake-up call [Whitney] needs” to seek help and recovery, he went on to be arrested himself in February of this year for felony Theft by Shoplifting for allegedly concealing and stealing more than $500 worth of merchandise from a Georgia tractor supply store in November 2025. 

RELATED STORY: ‘Teen Mom: Young & Pregnant’ Star Madisen Beith Splits from Husband Christian Wilson; Hasn’t Spoken to Dad Nick in a Year 

(Photos: Instagram; Facebook; MTV)