Personal Stories Archives - Page 12 of 35

Homeless rape victim chooses life

Michelle was homeless on the streets when she was raped and became pregnant. A friend offered to let her live with her- but only if she aborted the baby.

“[She] told me that if I would get rid of the baby that I could come live with her. And I walked out of there and never spoke to her again. I was going to put her up for adoption, but every time I picked up the phone to call about that, I couldn’t do it. I would cry. I knew this was my baby and I would love her no matter what. I decided I wanted to keep her.”

Michelle went to a crisis pregnancy center. She called the staff there “sweet” and “all good.” She decided to have her baby, and says:

“All of the programs to help women were really awesome. I went to several of their classes and the lady that counseled me volunteered to go with me when I gave birth. I didn’t have anyone else to go with me. She was there by my side. After I gave birth, they gave me baby clothes, diapers, and a basket of goodies like blankets. After you’ve had your baby you can keep going back to them for support….

It really upsets me to hear people talking about a woman keeping a ‘rapist’s baby. To me, she’s not the rapist’s baby; she’s my baby. He doesn’t deserve any credit. [The thought of abortion] is based on temporary feelings that the baby is the rapist’s baby. But it’s her baby. In all my research, the majority of women who get pregnant through rape don’t want to have an abortion. This is the outside telling these women that they should have an abortion because their loved ones don’t want to deal with [the rape] or think about it. But that woman is not going to forget it, and abortion is not going to solve that problem. And I think that that misconception needs to be cleared. It’s not the woman herself who wants the abortion. It’s usually her family or her friends.”

NANCY FLANDERS “Raped and Homeless: She Chose Life for Her Baby Not Abortion” LifeNews APR 10, 2013

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Woman gives thanks to crisis pregnancy center

One teenager who was considering an abortion went to a crisis pregnancy center by accident when seeking an abortion clinic. She was convinced to have her baby. She was later very grateful for her misunderstanding and praised the crisis pregnancy center for its website that did not openly reveal it was pro-life. She tells her story:

“When the test came back positive, my heart dropped and my mind went straight to the thought of abortion. I was 18 when I found out I was pregnant with Jake. I was confused, scared, broken, and worried about disappointing my family…

I felt as if I had nowhere to run, until I came across a pregnancy center website while searching for abortion clinics. They tell me that these pregnancy centers often work hard in not disclosing their pro-life agenda, knowing that would deter their potential clients. I sure am glad…

I was afraid of my future and that I wouldn’t be able to raise Jake the way he should be raised. They encouraged me to have an ultrasound done to see how far along the pregnancy was. Throughout the ultrasound, the nurse was educating me on the development of the baby and how each week something different occurs. Reality set in when I saw the small, egg -like figure and that I was close to five weeks.… The baby’s heartbeat was already well developed.…

She still had a few doubts, but after the pregnancy center talked to her and gave her a gift bag. She decided to have her baby

“I returned home with enough courage to tell my parents about my pregnancy. To my surprise, they were overly supportive of me keeping little Jake. Without the support of the pregnancy center and my wonderful parents, I’m afraid to say what might have happened to my son. Jake is surrounded by people who love him, and I am truly thankful for that.

I am now blessed with my beautiful baby boy and a wonderful, supportive boyfriend who does everything to make sure we are taking care of. My life couldn’t be more complete.… Of course, it’s hard to be a young parent, and I do lose a lot of sleep. But every moment of lost sleep is made up for when Jake gets a big toothless grin!…

I am so thankful to have come across that rather intriguing pregnancy center website. They were so positive, and I never felt abandoned. They are resourceful and offer great opportunities for young moms like me, as well as classes to help dads become better dads. I am so grateful they opened my eyes and gave me the courage to continue my pregnancy.”

Mike G Williams Thank You for Saving My Life (2016) 107 – 111

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Woman regrets aborting baby with TRISOMY 13

A woman who was told her baby could not survive had an abortion, then came to regret it deeply. Here is her story:

“The news came via a phone call. TRISOMY 13,that was the result. We went straight to the doctor’s surgery where we were given more information. The long and the short of it was that with trisomy 13 the organs and basically everything else do not form properly. My baby had no chance of survival…

My heart ached and my mind was a blur, my body numb. My beautiful, precious baby. We had wanted another child and we thought we were blessed to fall pregnant so quickly. Our heads were swimming with medical terms, odds and facts. Our only thought was of our child being in pain and we wanted to stop the suffering. Our decision was to terminate the pregnancy…

[After the abortion] life around me went on as normal. We told people we had lost the baby, as everyone knew that I was pregnant. Conversations replayed in my head like reruns of television shows. Then the nightmares began. Every night my two little children died in my dreams in every imaginable way… I cried all day and all night. I wanted my baby back. What had I done?

I wished we had made another choice. I had wanted to keep my baby boy and hold him in my arms even if he died. My husband disagreed. He felt that we had made the right decision even though it had been very hard. It was here that we somehow lost each other. For the first time in our life together we did not share the same opinion on something that really mattered. I felt my life spinning out of control. I couldn’t and didn’t sleep. I had no patience with the children. I cried all the time and I found myself wishing that I were dead just to stop the constant aching in my heart…

I began to see a counselor (Anne) a month or two after Joshua’s life ended. It has helped and it has also helped my husband and I work through this together even though we do not share the same views. He still believes that we made the right decision for our son but I know in my heart that things should have been different.

Now I have to face life without my precious Joshua, never having seen him, touched him, never having held him in my arms even once. I have to live with having no ending with him, no funeral and no grave to visit. Almost as if he never existed. I have to wake up each morning and look at myself in the mirror and know that I had a choice and I/we made the wrong choice and took the wrong path. I thought it was the easier path, the best choice but it turned out to be exactly the opposite.”

Anne R Lastman Redeeming Grief: Abortion and Its Pain (Balwyn, Vic: Australia: Gracewing, 2013) 156 – 158

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Abortion brought back memories of sexual assault

A woman who had been sexually assaulted had an abortion, and commented on how the procedure brought back memories of her sexual abuse:

“I felt very sad after [the abortion], and actually, that triggered my first really big wave of full-on memories of sexual abuse in my childhood.”

Cara J. Marianna Abortion: A Collective Story (Westport, CT: Praeger, 2002) 74

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Woman chooses life after hearing baby’s heartbeat

Vicky went to Planned Parenthood for a medical abortion (by pill), but while she was in the waiting room, she had second thoughts. She thought she might come back, but she went outside and saw sidewalk counselor who encouraged her to have a free ultrasound at a pregnancy center nearby. She says:

“After hearing my baby’s heartbeat, I just kept thinking, what if I hadn’t heard it? If I had continued where I was, I most likely would not have heard it. I changed my mind when I heard that heartbeat, but my counselors made me feel like I was supposed to have this baby and that I could do it.”

Mike G Williams Thank You for Saving My Life (2016) 92

6 weeks- has a beating heart and brain waves

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Woman regrets aborting fatally ill baby

Kathy was pregnant with a baby who was not expected to live, and she had an abortion. Later, she deeply regretted it. She says:

“I should have allowed my baby to go to full-term and given birth to it and held her in my arms so that I could tell her that I loved her. I should have believed in her. I didn’t. I should’ve allowed her to go in her own time. I could then have known that I did the best I could for her. In this way I didn’t even give her a funeral. I don’t even know what happened to her.”

Anne R Lastman Redeeming Grief: Abortion and Its Pain (Balwyn, Vic: Australia: Gracewing, 2013) 147

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Boyfriend avoids girlfriend after abortion, gets drunk

From Jeremy, whose partner had an abortion:

“After I took her to the clinic in the morning, I was supposed to leave for a weeklong work trip. I feel horrible about this, but I didn’t want to fuck over my colleagues; so after I made her brunch, I left. She seemed okay, and I tried to convince her it had been a super minimal procedure.

I drove back to see her that night, but the next morning, I left again. She was crying and said, “Are you serious? What are your fucking priorities?” At the time, I’d deemed her sort of mentally unstable, which is a horrible thing to say. I had no idea how the process would affect her physically and emotionally. That night I partied and did some drugs. It was complete escapism for me.”

Angelina Chapin “8 Men on What It Was Like When Their Partner Had an Abortion” Mel, visited 10/2/2017

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Husband doesn’t understand why his wife had an abortion

From Jerry, whose wife had an abortion against his will:

“I can’t understand how my wife could do such a thing. We didn’t have money problems. We didn’t have family problems. Our two existing children were at school so there was no reason why we couldn’t have had the baby. Except that she didn’t want it. Something died in me that morning and I can’t see my wife the way I used to see her. I don’t know if we can survive this.”

They later divorced.

Anne R Lastman Redeeming Grief: Abortion and Its Pain (Balwyn, Vic: Australia: Gracewing, 2013) 122

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Heartbeat of baby convinces mom to choose life

A woman who was considering abortion came to a crisis pregnancy center. She chose life when she saw and listened to her baby’s heartbeat.

“When we came to the pregnancy clinic for our ultrasound, this tiny baby appeared on the screen, and the nurse pointed out her tiny, flickering heart.

All of a sudden, the room filled with the sound of my baby’s heartbeat. Have you ever heard the incredible beat of a tiny life–seeking human heart?

In that moment, I had this overwhelming feeling of love. I knew she was my baby and was meant to be mine. It was in that little ultrasound room that my mind changed, my heart changed, and my future changed…

Kaylee Ann was born in early summer: healthy, happy, and beautiful. The help from the pregnancy clinic didn’t just stop with my sonogram. They stayed with us all the way through the pregnancy…

I can’t imagine not having Katy Lee in my life. I certainly can’t imagine the alternative we were considering. If it wasn’t for the pregnancy clinic and those who sponsor it, my daughter would not be here today.

They provided me with the opportunity to meet the love of my life, and I am so grateful.”

Mike G Williams “Thank You for Saving My Life” (2016) 38 – 40

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