Sebastian's Point
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Siblings: Hidden Victims of Abortion
In the new film version of Sense and Sensibility, a remark is made that the protagonist is happiest when with her family. While the romantic relationships between men and women may take center stage in the drama, the film demonstrates the strength of sisterly bonds. I believe that it is, in fact, the sisters who steal the show.
I cannot imagine life without my baby sister, who was born prematurely at a time when such infants often did not survive. Thankfully, my sister beat the odds and has proven to be my lifelong friend. But sisters are being routinely wiped out by the abortion industry. Many of the women who enter abortion centers already have at least one child. That means abortion is depriving a child of a sibling's love.
New attention is being focused on the sibling survivors of abortion. They carry a heavy hardship, knowing that they have lost a beloved family member to a senseless death. These survivors deserve to be heard, and their heartache must be recognized and addressed. The grief they suffer can be immense. And abortion culture will not allow them to publicly grieve.
The pain experienced by sibling survivors is evident at a website commemoration known as AbortionMemorial.com, which is run by the Human Coalition. The raw emotion is apparent in so many posts:
To my brother or sister
I found out years later that our mom had a previous birth (me) and a prior abortion. My heart was so heavy, it fell to the bottom of my stomach, and I cried and cried. I sobbed as I was so surprised and happy to know I had another sibling but at that same exact moment, I had to mourn your death, your brutal, intentional death. I was heartbroken. How could our mother do that to you? You are just as worth of life as I was.
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I’m sorry
I am sorry that I never got to meet you. I am sorry that I never got to call you big brother. I am sorry that you never got to pick on me. I am sorry mom felt she wasn’t ready. Mom is so hurt she did this. Mom cries for you every day. She did not know what she was doing. She regrets it every day bubby. We all wish you were here. I cannot wait to meet you in heaven. I know you’re with grandpa. I am happy grandpa was there to meet you.
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Grieving the loss of my little sister
My little sister was killed by abortion shortly after Roe v. Wade was tragically decided by the Supreme Court. As an accidental teenage pregnancy, I made it out alive because I was protected by the law. My entire life has been altered because I grew up as an only child. I miss my sister and all of the memories we would have made together. She was just as real as I am, and I will forever love her.
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Love you, bro!
To my baby brother about whom I’ve just learned after 45 years. Mom felt so much guilt and shame about her decision she couldn’t tell me about you all these years. I also feel bad because she says she did it because she felt she couldn’t handle another one. I’m sure it would have been more fun growing up with you. I expect to meet you at the resurrection. Love you, bro!
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In reading these stories, we see the humanity of the child in the womb. He or she was not a woman’s body part, but a part of a human family—a beloved brother or sister who can never be replaced. Each preborn child is an exceptional, one-of-a-kind personality whose life should be respected as much as anybody else’s. His or her loss creates a giant hole in the fabric of humanity.
When an individual is tragically killed by an act of violence, it is customary for local news media to interview the family members to demonstrate the impact of the crime. I firmly believe that, by showcasing the experiences of sibling survivors of abortion, we can help people understand the full weight of abortion on a family.
When people realize the true impact of abortion, they are far less likely to support it. This is not a question of exploitation. It is simply giving voice to people who have been greatly harmed by the killing of preborn children. Their grief is real and needs to be validated.
The victims of abortion go beyond the mother and her unborn baby. They also include the brothers and sisters left behind. May we, as advocates for life, journey with them through their pain, assuring them of the possibility of hope and healing on the other side.