COUPLE CHOOSES NOT TO ABORT DOWN’S CHILD AS A ‘PERSONAL CHALLENGE’

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va., December 11, 2002 (LifeSiteNews.com) – In a revealing tale of modern values, USA Today’s report on happiness features a husband and wife, both with Ph.D.‘s, who learned that their unborn child would be born with Down’s Syndrome and a serious heart condition—but chose not to abort the child because they saw the experience as a “personal challenge.”“In [the couple’s] intellectual circle of friends, some viewed having a retarded child as unthinkable—and let them know it. Lots of people, including some family members, assumed they’d opt for abortion,” USA Today reports. “After thoroughly exploring all the angles—medical, practical and emotional—they decided to keep their daughter, Naia,” now described as a happy four-year-old and subject of the eponymous book “Choosing Naia,” by Mitchell Zuckoff.  The husband is quoted as saying, “We’re pro-choice, so it’s not that we wouldn’t get an abortion under some circumstances, or think that others could make a different choice here.” According to USA Today, “They were leading with their strength… both had long histories of taking bold, less traveled paths rather than following the parade.” The mother is quoted saying, “We thought having Naia would be a challenge, but we really wanted her, and just because something’s a challenge, I’m not the type to turn away.”  To read the USA Today article, see:  https://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2002-12-08-happy-main_x.htm