What a Surprise!
They had driven for two hours when they appeared in my office, late Monday morning. They came all the way from New Jersey to the Bronx. They came, seeking an abortion. What proceeded was an education in fetal development, the abortion procedure, and the risks and complication that it entailed.
Mom was 5 months pregnant! (Babies at this stage are fully formed and big, with a heartbeat, unique fingerprints, his or her own blood type, and well developed ears that can hear mom speak.) I showed her Fetal Development Models and pointed her to the one replicating a baby at 5 months gestation. She started to understand a little better, that gravity of her decision . As we watched a non-graphic, computer animated video of the abortion procedure it became all the more clear to her.
Mom shuddered as she realized the facts. The baby was so far developed that it would be to big to remove the child from her womb whole. It would have to be dismembered and taken out piece by piece. The thought was too much!
Mom and Dad: We're keeping it! We're not gonna do that!
Me: You think that is bad? You haven't even seen the real stuff.
Dad: What!?! You have a video of a real one?!
Me: Yes, I have a video of an actual abortion happening.
Mom: I want to see it, to make my decision stronger!
And as I prepared the video called Harder Truth, I told them the story of Eduardo Verastegui, the movie Bella, and Dura Realidad (the Spanish version of Harder Truth). The star of Bella visited an abortion clinic while doing research for the movie, only to be asked by sidewalk counselors to talk with a Spanish speaking couple about to enter the clinic. As he spoke with them and showed them the video they decided to keep their child and didn't enter the clinic. Months later Eduardo was asked he would mind them naming their son after him.
Needless to say the couple that walked into my office was very effected by this same video. It only solidified their decision to save their childs life. As we said our goodbyes amidst hugs and promises of phone calls they said something that I will remember for the rest of my life, "If it's a girl, we're gonna name her Heather!" What a surprise and what and honor!
Heather Nicole Keevers
