Her Boyfriend Was Pressuring Her to Get an Abortion, Then She Asked God What to Do

Earlier this summer, Emily Letts made national news after she filmed her own abortion and posted the video on YouTube.

Hailed as “brave,” “pioneering,” and “trailblazing,” by the pro-abortion community, this abortion activist turned Internet sensation was lavished with praise from supporters across the country. But is brave the correct word to describe a woman who sacrifices one afternoon to undergo a 15-minute procedure that terminates the life of her unborn child?

For those of us involved in the battle for life, our definition of brave stands in stark contrast to those who support Emily Letts’s decision to kill the child in her womb. We reserve the word brave to describe the sidewalk counselors who pray for men and women entering abortion clinics, or the dedicated volunteers who give their time and energy to serve in life-affirming pregnancy centers.

When it comes to the issue of protecting the sacredness of life, perhaps no one’s bravery is more overlooked or undervalued than that of the birth mother who chooses life for her child and then places him or her for adoption.

Meet Nicky.

At just 26 years old, life had already taken a toll on her. In her past, she had been charged with a felony, lived in her car for a time given birth to and then surrendered sole custody of a little girl at the age of 16, and had bounced from abusive relationship to abusive relationship. By the time Online for Life found her, Nicky was in a new relationship and 12 weeks pregnant. Her boyfriend had told her to get an abortion, so Nicky was searching for information on abortion in the same place where thousands of other women facing crisis pregnancies go to search anonymously: the Internet. When Online for Life connected with her and led her to a local life-affirming pregnancy center, Nicky now says she made an appointment at the center to “discuss my options.”

However, that day Nicky discovered more than just information. She found a compassionate and loving staff who were eager to help during her time of need. “The woman I sat down with was beyond wonderful. She helped me to just breathe and ask God what to do…And so I did.”

After her appointment, Nicky made her boyfriend move out. Then she reconnected with an aunt who would help Nicky throughout the pregnancy, driving her to the birthing center where Nicky would eventually give birth. But as the baby’s due date drew near, Nicky became increasingly confused. “I was alone and still had no idea what I was going to do.” That’s when Nicky recalled the many people who’d offered her help. With the support of the life-affirming pregnancy center, and through the power of social media, Nicky was put in touch with a couple who was looking to adopt a child. “My heart was opened to [my daughter’s adoptive mother],” Nicky says, explaining her heart-rending choice to give up her child for adoption. When she told Brandon her decision to place the child up for adoption, he agreed that it was best. He even returned home to support Nicky in the days leading up to the baby’s birth.

Three days before the scheduled delivery, her daughter’s adoptive parents flew across the country in time to witness the birth of Nicky’s healthy baby girl. “The four days we spent in the clinic were filled with so many emotions for me. Sometimes I was depressed, sad, laughing, and crying.” But one thing that stood out the most to Nicky was how the birthing center’s staff responded to her. “Everyone kept calling me ‘brave.’ The nurses kept coming up to me and telling me they were honored to care for and treat someone like me.”

When it was time to say good-bye to her daughter, Nicky was overwhelmed with emotion. “I felt numb to everything. I couldn’t even manage a giggle without feeling the tears behind it.”

Today, Nicky still thinks of her little girl constantly. But as she works to find a new job and re-create a life for herself, she knows she made the right decision. “I know my baby, who came out of a very bad time, ended up being loved by people from across the country.”

Nicky hopes one day her story and the stories of other birth mothers will inspire more women to true bravery. “The voice of the mother who gives up a baby for adoption isn’t heard. We need to change that.”

To learn how you can help make more stories like Nicky and her daughter’s story a possibility, please visit OnlineforLife.org.