Abortion activists desperate to push a radical anti-Life position insist that abortion is a positive and empowering experience for mothers. The testimony of countless women shows that the reality is anything but positive and empowering. For example, Silent No More has collected hundreds of stories written by women and men who chose abortion and deeply regret the decision. Often, abortion decisions are influenced by pressure from family and friends, the fear of losing a job, or the instability of an abusive relationship. No matter what factors contributed to an abortion decision, the parents must live the rest of their lives with the knowledge that their decision ended their child’s Life. With help, healing is possible, as Sanya Richards-Ross showed this week.
A high-profile athlete and Olympic medalist, Richards-Ross shared her story of abortion regret so that other women do not feel alone in the aftermath of an abortion decision. Richards-Ross included the story as part of her new book Chasing Grace, which was released this week.
Weeks before competing in the 2008 Beijing Olympics, Richards-Ross discovered she was unexpectedly pregnant. Having trained her entire career for the Olympic moment, the pressure to choose abortion was immense. Richards-Ross’s then-fiancé, NFL star Aaron Ross, who is now her husband, was also busy with his athletic pursuits. He was immersed in training, so, as FloTrack reports, Richards-Ross sought an elective abortion alone. Though the abortionist told her to rest for two weeks, Richards-Ross left the next day for Beijing to compete.
Richards-Ross’s story goes against the lie that abortion is “no big deal,” so often touted by the abortion industry. Richards-Ross was expected to win gold in the 400-meter, but instead she placed third because, she says, her thoughts were elsewhere. Fear of what friends, family, her teammates, and sponsors would think of a career-disrupting pregnancy led her to believe that abortion was the only choice she had. Only afterward, living with the pain of the choice to take the Life of her first child, did the reality surface. Richards-Ross describes the experience, saying, “Abortion would now forever be a part of my life… I was a champion— and not just an ordinary one, but a world-class, record-breaking champion. From the heights of that reality I fell into a depth of despair.”
With the help of her Christian faith and her relationship with her husband, Aaron, Sanya has found healing. She says she has not completely healed, and she still cries when she thinks about her first child. Nonetheless, Richards-Ross chose to share her highly personal account with the world. She has seen first-hand how common abortion is among top female athletes, and she knows the tragedy that an abortion decision brings. Sanya’s powerful testimony for Life comes as she and her husband prepare to welcome their second child.
If you or someone you know is suffering after abortion, there is help. Visit HopeAfterAbortion.com to find resources in your area or contact Rachel’s Vineyard to find a healing retreat. You are not alone.