Surrendering to God: A pro-life story of faith, hope, courage and love

Thirty years ago, Sharon L. McFadden gave birth to a son conceived in a rape. She named him Jacob from Psalm 24:6 and raised him to adulthood only to lose him at age 27 to the H1N1 virus, the swine flu.

She told her story in a talk on Jan. 22, 2011, at the March for Life at the Hawaii State Capitol. She spoke about the abortion she had planned and ultimately rejected, about the gift of her son, his tragic death and the foundation she established in his honor.

To mark the 40th anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court’s Roe v. Wade decision legalizing abortion in the Untied States, the Hawaii Catholic Herald is publishing the text of her speech here.

McFadden was born in Texas into an Air Force family, moved to Hawaii in 1993. A former born-again Christian, she became a Catholic in 2003, after having an “epiphany” while reading an article about St. Peter and the papacy in an encyclopedia.  Sharon admits to making many mistakes in her life but has ultimately lived through a journey of faith.

Now married and with one surviving son, she lives on Oahu with her husband and is a parishioner at Star of the Sea Church. She works as a special education teacher at Roosevelt High School in Honolulu.

Thank you for your presence and for supporting this March for Life event of 2011. I am here to strongly support this event, and to share my very personal true story about the grace of God.

I thought I had true justification for an abortion. In 1982 I conceived my son Jacob Ryan McFadden Schmidt by being raped. I was 20 years old at the time and scared out of my mind and spirit.

I am here for two purposes today — No. 1 is to share my son’s pro-life story and No. 2 is to talk about pro-living choices. My son’s pro-life story is a story of faith, hope, courage and love — he profoundly changed my life for the better. When I realized that I became impregnated from this rape, fear was my first response. I was a devout, born-again Christian and had arguments with God that I could justify this abortion. So I acted on my fear and scheduled an abortion. God saw otherwise.

God sent me some faith-filled Christians who helped me through the most difficult decision I’ve ever had to face. All I know is, after talking with a pastor at 10 at night, I knew I could not go through with an abortion. I prayed and surrendered to God. The next morning, I called the abortion clinic to cancel my appointment that was to be performed in four hours. God saved the life of my son and spared him from that abortion within four hours.

I can’t truly explain when the Holy Spirit came to me to change my heart and my mind but I think much of the process occurred while I slept. I was so strongly adamant about going through with the abortion. After all, I was raped and had strong justification. All I can say is miraculously my FEAR was transformed to FAITH. I changed my attitude and put faith in God that he would see me through. I was willing to make a courageous choice … by choosing life … by putting my pride and ego aside … by giving up my own selfish desires … by putting the importance of another human life before mine, that’s how we please God and follow His will.

I made the decision at that point to keep the baby, love him and raise him to be a man of God. He failed often but always got up to try again. He was always striving to become a better man. He had a heart of gold! He was filled with love and could make the saddest person laugh.

Jacob had a purpose for being born and that was predominantly to help and inspire others. Jacob lived strongly in the present moment and loved God. When Jacob lost his [baby] teeth, he would leave money under his pillow for the tooth fairy to give his money to help the poor. At Christmas, he would wrap gifts for Santa and leave a note that these gifts were to give to poor children. He was very caring, loving, affectionate and generous.

Now, through his life and death, Jacob will continue to help others realize the importance of pro-living choices, choosing life, choosing vaccinations, taking care of our health. Jacob’s pro-life message will help women to overcome their fears and to carefully consider the gift of life that they are challenged to protect. I think if Jacob were here to speak to you, he would say, “All I am saying is give life a chance.”

You may have heard my son Jacob’s swine flu story recently. It was aired on KHON Channel 2 News. My son Jacob passed away after a five-week battle with complications from the swine flu on April 28, 2010.

I am now the founder of The Jacob Foundation to promote pro-living choices by educating for a healthier future and how we can protect ourselves from preventable diseases. My purpose is to help others choose life. In the Old Testament, Deuteronomy chapter 30 tells us that life and death have been set before us; therefore choose life.

Now that Jacob has passed on to a greater spiritual mission, there is a deep void for those that loved him dearly. For him to not have existed would’ve been an injustice to all that came to love him, laugh with him and share his dreams.

Jacob was born. He lived life to the fullest. Jacob deeply impacted every person he met. He inspired others to be a better person. He embraced life even during the battle with the complications from H1N1 and courageously went into eternity at the age of 27.

Getting through the NOW in my life, it is difficult. But through faith and trust in my Lord Jesus Christ, I can do all things. I became a Catholic convert in 2003 and that has greatly helped my faith. The Eucharist gives me the strength and grace to endure. My prayer life has been strengthened as I pray incessantly and constantly.

Here are some profound quotes from Mother Teresa, an amazing saint from our time. She taught us that if God wills it, it happens, if he doesn’t will it, it doesn’t happen, and then she said, it’s that simple. She also said, “Everything is a drop in the ocean and if it goes undone it is missing for all eternity.”

I found that statement to signify the life of my son. Jacob truly would’ve been missed for all eternity had I chose to abort him. I give all the praise and glory to my Heavenly Father and his loving grace and I thank my parents Chickie and Dick McFadden for their courageous support during a difficult time. They were the best grandparents that anyone has ever known.

I want to continue to share his story through speaking at churches or other organization and also through a book that I’m completing on this true life event called “Wings of Grace.” It entails various events of Jacob’s pro-life story. It is truly sent as a gift to inspire and instill faith, hope, courage and love to all that read and share this story, just as Jacob was. God will carry us for the rest of our lives on the wings of his merciful grace. Amen and God bless you all. Choose the right!