The Child They Told Them to Abort
On a recent episode of Warriors for Life, Eric and I had one of the most moving conversations we’ve had so far on the show. We were speaking with Bryan Mercier about his family’s journey after doctors identified Down syndrome markers during his wife’s pregnancy. What struck me most was hearing that for almost the entire pregnancy — nine months — they were repeatedly pressured to consider abortion. Not encouraged. Not supported. Pressured. It’s heartbreaking when you really stop and think about that. A child had not even entered the world yet, and already people were speaking about her life as though it might not be worth living.
But Bryan shared what happened after they chose life, and honestly, it completely dismantles the narrative our culture pushes about children with Down syndrome. Their daughter has become a source of joy to everyone around her. Not pity. Not burden. Joy. He spoke about how beautiful she is, how quickly she learns, and how she is already learning multiple languages — even surprising people developmentally along the way. But more than that, he spoke about her heart and the impact she has on people. I’ve noticed something similar over the years whenever I meet families who have a child with Down syndrome. If you ask siblings about them, they often say the same thing: “They’re my favorite person.” And they mean it. There is something deeply genuine about the love many of these children give. They light up rooms. They connect with people naturally. They bring softness into places that feel hard or heavy.
During the interview, we also talked about something spiritual that resonated deeply with me. Bryan described children like his daughter as “living saints.” The more I thought about it afterward, the more emotional it made me. From the moment many of these children are baptized, they often carry a kind of innocence and purity that reflects Christ in such a profound way. They aren’t calculating how to hurt people. They aren’t chasing status or trying to manipulate others. They simply love, trust, forgive, and bring joy. In many ways, they teach the rest of us how far we’ve drifted from childlike innocence. They soften hearts without even trying.
And yet our culture increasingly treats children diagnosed with disabilities as lives that should be prevented rather than embraced. We live in a society that constantly talks about inclusion and human rights, yet many parents receive overwhelming pressure to abort children with Down syndrome before they are ever given a chance to live. That isn’t compassion. Compassion doesn’t eliminate the person who might suffer or require extra care. Compassion walks with people. It supports families. It recognizes dignity even when the world struggles to see it. The pro life movement has never been about defending only the strong, the healthy, or the convenient. It is about recognizing that every human life has value because every person is made in the image of God.
Bryan’s story reminded me that when families choose love over fear, the outcome is often far more beautiful than the world predicts. Because his family said yes to life, countless people now experience the joy of knowing his daughter. And maybe that’s part of the tragedy of abortion that we don’t talk about enough — the world never gets to meet the people it lost. The laughter. The personality. The love they would have brought into their families. The lives they would have changed simply by existing.
That little girl they were told to abort is now changing hearts simply by being herself.
That matters.
And it’s exactly why we continue having these conversations on Warriors for Life — because every human life has dignity, value, and purpose.
Thank you for walking with us in this mission to defend life with truth, courage, and compassion.
Join us live every Tuesday on Warriors for Life as we continue tackling the cultural and spiritual issues shaping our world through a Catholic perspective.
Elizabeth Sutcliffe
Catholic Speaker | Author | Pro-Life Advocate
Co-Host, Warriors for Life