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Joy-Anna Forsyth (née Duggar) (born October 28, 1997) is the ninth child and fifth daughter of Jim Bob Duggar and Michelle Duggar.

She is the sister of Joshua Duggar, Jana Wissmann, John-David Duggar, Jill Dillard, Jessa Seewald, Jinger Vuolo, Joseph Duggar, Josiah Duggar, Jedidiah Duggar, Jeremiah Duggar, Jason Duggar, James Duggar, Justin Duggar, Jackson Duggar, Johannah Duggar, Jennifer Duggar, Jordyn-Grace Duggar, and Josie Duggar.

She is the wife of Austin Forsyth and the mother of their three children, Gideon, Evelyn and Gunner.

Early life[]

Joy-Baby

Joy as a baby

Joy-Anna Duggar was born on October 28, 1997, in Arkansas, to Jim Bob Duggar and Michelle Duggar. She was the couple's ninth child, and they went on to have ten more children after her.

Being born in the midst of eight boys, Joy-Anna was said to be a tomboy growing up. She was more likely to be found playing outside and roughhousing with her brothers, rather than doing the more typically feminine activities her parents encouraged. She was especially close to her older brother Josiah as a child.

Along with her siblings, Joy-Anna was homeschooled growing up. She and her siblings were raised as active participants of Bill Gothard's Institute in Basic Life Principles, and regularly attended the yearly Advanced Training Institute conferences in Big Sandy, Texas. She took the test to get her GED in 2016, at eighteen years old, alongside her younger brothers Jedidiah and Jeremiah. Her family had a graduation party to celebrate this event. As an adult, Joy-Anna officially denounced these teachings.

Like most children, Joy-Anna was assigned chores growing up, which the family called "jurisdictions". As of 2004, Joy-Anna's jurisdiction was laundry, alongside her sister Jill. As of 2011, Joy-Anna's jurisdiction was cleaning the girl's room. As of 2014, Joy-Anna's jurisdiction was being the jurisdictions overseer. Joy-Anna was no longer expected to keep up with her jurisdictions after she began her courtship.

By 2001, Joy-Anna's parents had implemented a buddy system, where each older child was paired with a younger child to take care of. Typical tasks for an older buddy included dressing, bathing, and feeding their younger buddies. Joy-Anna's original older buddy was her sister Jill. By 2009, the family had switched from individual buddies to buddy teams, with each team being led by one of the oldest four daughters. Joy-Anna remained with her sister Jill in this system, and their team also consisted of younger siblings James and Jennifer. When Jill got married in 2014, Joy-Anna took over as the head of the buddy team. This team has been shown to still maintain a strong bond today, despite two of the four members getting married and moving out.

Joy-Anna took piano lessons as a child, but it is unknown if these lessons were from the family's first piano teacher, Ruth Anita Anderson, or if her older siblings had taken over with the lessons by the time she was old enough to learn. Joy-Anna also took violin lessons as a child.

In 2006, as featured on one of the TV specials, Joy-Anna and her family moved into a new home in Springdale, Arkansas. The family made a point of doing much of the work on the house themselves, seeing it as a learning opportunity for their children. In this house, Joy-Anna was given a dormitory-style room with her sisters.

In late 2009, after her sister Josie was born premature, Joy-Anna moved with her family into the Cornish House in Little Rock, Arkansas, to be closer to the Arkansas Children's Hospital. Once Josie was able to leave the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), Joy-Anna and her family moved back home.

In 2010, Joy-Anna was an extra in the film Courageous, which was released on September 30, 2011. Although the entire family was on set, Joy-Anna was one of the only family members to make it into the film's final cut. She is seen in the film attending a young girl's funeral. When the scene was filmed, her family expressed surprise that Joy-Anna was able to cry real tears for a fictional death.

Thanks to the reality show, Joy-Anna was able to take a number of vacations as a child and teenager. Notable vacation locations include: Disneyland, New York City, Niagara Falls, Scotland, Ireland, London, Israel, China, and Japan.

As a teenager, Joy-Anna participated in Journey to the Heart, a Christian retreat for teens and young adults to spend time focused on God.

In 2015, a few months before Joy-Anna's eighteenth birthday, she and her best friend Carlin Bates took a trip to Central America, where her older sister Jill lived with her husband Derick and son Israel.

Joy-Anna enjoys being outside, keeping active, and working on remodeling projects.

Personal life[]

JoyAustin-Courting

Courting

Courtship[]

On November 15, 2016, Joy-Anna announced that she was in a courtship with long-time friend Austin Forsyth. The couple said that they had been friends for almost fifteen years, although Joy-Anna later said that she didn't remember him as a child. The Duggar Family and the Forsyth Family met when the Forsyths attended the Duggars' church in Arkansas. Joy-Anna and Austin met when she was 4 years old and he was 8 years old. Joy-Anna first developed a crush on Austin when she was 14 and he was 18, after Austin shared his testimony with her family when he was over at their house. They first started talking in 2015. Austin took Joy-Anna out to a special spot at Pedestal Rocks in the Ozark National Forest in Sand Gap, Arkansas to ask her to court him, and she enthusiastically said "yes". On March 20, 2024, Joy-Anna revealed that it was the eighth anniversary of their courtship proposal. They officially began courting on March 20, 2016. Their courtship proposal was featured on the Counting On episode "A Honeymoon & a Courtship".

JoyAustin-Engaged

Engaged

Engagement[]

On March 3, 2017, Joy-Anna and Austin announced that they were engaged. The couple got engaged on March 2, 2017, in the Ozark National Forest at Fort Rock Family Camp in Combs, Arkansas. Austin took Joy-Anna, along with her younger sisters Johannah and Jennifer, horseback riding, before leading her to a cliffside where he proposed to her. He then took her to a clearing where he and his friend, Aaron Patton, had set up a table to eat a special meal that he had prepared for them. Joy-Anna said that she didn't expect a proposal at that moment because she didn't see any TV cameras there to film, but they were hiding in nearby trees and bushes to help make the moment more special. Their engagement was featured on the Counting On episode "Joy Gets Engaged".

JoyAustin-Married

Just married

Marriage[]

On May 26, 2017, Joy-Anna married Austin Martyn Forsyth at Cross Church in Rogers, Arkansas. The wedding had around 1,000 guests. The couple shared their first kiss at the altar. The wedding was officiated by Paul Caldwell. Joy's matron of honor was her sister Jill. Her bridesmaids were her sisters Jana, Jessa, Jinger, Johannah, and Jennifer, her sister-in-law Anna, Austin's sister Meagan, and her friends Carlin Bates, Kendra Caldwell, Sierra Dominguez, and Heidi Query. The flower girl was Austin's half-niece Allove. Austin's best man was his brother-in-law Bobby. His groomsmen were his half-brother Brandon, his half-brother-in-law Nick, Joy's brother John-David, his grandfather Edwin Forsyth, and his friends Nathan Paine, Aaron Patton, Andrew Patton, Peter Query, Logan Smith, Josiah Stangl, and Jacob Wilson. The ring bearer is unknown. Their wedding was featured on the Counting On episodes "Joy's Wedding" and "Joy and Austin Tie the Knot".

For their honeymoon, Joy-Anna and Austin went to Switzerland, starting in Geneva and later traveling to Interlaken and Zermatt. "We chose Switzerland because we knew that it was very beautiful," Joy-Anna explained in an interview. "We had seen a lot of pictures and Austin has really wanted to come here for a while." Their honeymoon included skiing, navigating public transit, yodeling, eating fondue, and taking a class where they learned to make chocolate. Their honeymoon was featured on the Counting On episode "In Love in Switzerland". They then spent time in Israel on a mission trip before returning back to Arkansas.

Motherhood[]

JoyAustin-Gideon

Baby Gideon

On August 30, 2017, Joy-Anna and Austin announced that they were expecting their first child, due 2018. The due date was later revealed to be February 22, 2018. On February 26, 2018, Joy-Anna and Austin announced that their son, Gideon Martyn, was born at 3:39 p.m. on February 23, 2018, at Washington Regional Medical Center in Fayetteville, Arkansas. He weighed 10 pounds and 3 ounces, and was 22 inches long. His birth was featured on the Counting On episodes "Joy Gives Birth" and "A Birth-day and a Birthday".

JoyAustin-Miscarriage

Miscarriage

On May 1, 2019, Joy-Anna and Austin announced that they were expecting what would have been their second child, due November 9, 2019. On June 26, 2019, at their 20-week scan, they learned that their baby no longer had a heartbeat and that they had suffered a miscarriage. Their child was a girl and they chose to name her Annabell Elise Forsyth. Annabell means "God has favored me", and Elise means "God satisfies". On July 1, 2019, Joy-Anna delivered Annabell at Willow Creek Women's Hospital in Johnson, Arkansas, and they later buried her on Austin's family's property at Fort Rock Family Camp, in a quiet, private part of the woods. On June 26, 2020, Joy posted a photo on Instagram memorializing that it had been a year since they miscarried their daughter. They announced their pregnancy on the Counting On episode "Baby Number Two ... but Who?". They announced their miscarriage on the Counting On episode "La La Land".

JoyAustin-Evelyn

Baby Evelyn

On March 18, 2020, Joy-Anna and Austin announced that they were expecting their second child, a girl, due August 19, 2020. On August 24, 2020, Joy-Anna and Austin announced that their daughter was born at 2:12 p.m. on August 21, 2020, at Willow Creek Women's Hospital in Johnson, Arkansas. She weighed 8 pounds and 5.4 ounces, and was 19 ½ inches long. On August 27, 2020, they revealed her name to be Evelyn Mae. Her birth was featured on their YouTube channel.

On October 5, 2022, Joy-Anna and Austin announced that they were expecting their third child, due May 23, 2023. On November 18, 2022, they revealed that they were expecting a boy. On December 24, 2022, Joy-Anna revealed that they are giving their son the name James as either his first name or middle name. They announced his birth on May 19, 2023, but did not reveal his name or date of birth. On May 21, 2023, they announced that their son, Gunner James, was born on May 17, 2023, weighing 8 pounds and 14 ounces.

Health[]

During a 'Q&A' on Instagram, Joy-Anna revealed that both she and Austin had tested positive for COVID-19 while she was pregnant with Evelyn. They experienced body aches, fever, and lost their sense of smell and taste. Both had a quick recovery.

Joy-Anna has a mutation in her MTHFR gene that causes her to have a blood clotting disorder. She has two copies of the higher risk side of the mutation. She was diagnosed in 2021. She has to take blood thinner shots daily during pregnancy. It is speculated that this then-unknown disorder contributed to their daughter Annabell's miscarriage.

Career[]

Missionary work[]

Joy-Anna and her family go on a yearly mission trip to El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras the week after Christmas.

Family camp[]

Joy-Anna often works at her husband's family's business, Fort Rock Family Camp in Combs, Arkansas.

Construction[]

Throughout their courtship and marriage, Joy-Anna has helped Austin with flipping and renovating houses.

Politics[]

On January 24, 2017, Arkansas State Representative Charlene Fite announced in a post on Facebook that Joy-Anna was interning at the Arkansas House of Representatives in Little Rock, Arkansas.

In August 2017, Joy-Anna and Austin attended the Arkansas Young Republican State Convention in Little Rock, Arkansas.

Social media[]

Joy-Anna is often seen on her Instagram stories promoting products from various companies.

Scandal[]

On May 19, 2015, InTouch Weekly published a redacted copy of a police report dated December 7, 2006. The report revealed that Joy-Anna's oldest brother, Joshua, had molested five underaged girls, including four of his sisters, in 2002 and 2003.

On May 18, 2017, Joy-Anna and three of her sisters sued InTouch Weekly, Springdale, Arkansas, and Washington County, Arkansas, for breach of privacy. The four women claim that they were promised confidentiality when speaking to investigators in 2006, and that the publicized report caused them "extreme mental and anguish and emotional distress". By doing so, Joy-Anna publicly named herself as one of Josh's victims. Joy-Anna was four/five years old at the time that the molestations occurred and nine years old at the time of the police interview. Unlike her sisters Jill and Jessa, she has never spoken publicly about the molestations. On February 9, 2022, their lawsuit was officially dismissed with prejudice, due to the defendants' qualified immunity and lack of direct proof.

In December 2021, during Josh's child pornography trial, it was revealed that Josh had touched her breasts, touched her butt, and digitally penetrated her vaginally, while she sat on his lap during Bible time.

Wedding involvement[]

Joy-Anna was a bridesmaid at her brother Josh's wedding to Anna Keller on September 26, 2008.

She was a bridesmaid at her parents Jim Bob and Michelle's vow renewal ceremony in 2009.

She was a singer and violinist at her family friend Priscilla Keller's wedding to David Waller on February 4, 2012.

She was a bridesmaid at her sister Jill's wedding to Derick Dillard on June 21, 2014.

She was a bridesmaid at her sister Jessa's wedding to Ben Seewald on November 1, 2014.

She was a bridesmaid at her sister Jinger's wedding to Jeremy Vuolo on November 5, 2016.

She was a bridesmaid at her brother Joseph's wedding to Kendra Caldwell on September 8, 2017.

She was a bridesmaid at her brother Josiah's wedding to Lauren Swanson on June 30, 2018.

She was a bridesmaid at her friend Carlin Bates's wedding to Evan Stewart on May 25, 2019.

She was a bridesmaid at her friends Andrew and Gabrielle Patton's vow renewal ceremony in April 2022.

She was a bridesmaid at her sister Jana's wedding to Stephen Wissmann on August 15, 2024.

Gallery[]

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