January 3, 2012 (LifeSiteNews.com) – One of the resolutions that LifeSiteNews made at the beginning of 2011 was to find and report on more positive stories – stories of hope, courage, virtue, goodness and beauty.
Not all of these stories are necessarily “happy,” but they all show human nature at its best – showing the heroism of those who, whether consciously or not, are striving to create a culture of life, or who have overcome great personal obstacles to live in a way that is more in keeping with a culture of life.
Many of these stories have become some of our most popular stories, and we have received many notes of thanks from readers for ferreting these stories out and highlighting them.
And so, without further ado, here are the top ten Culture of Life stories of 2011!
10) Former abortionist now head of one of the largest pro-life medical practices in the U.S.
This week the pro-life community celebrated the life of the great Dr. Bernard Nathanson, famed for his dramatic conversion from a leading abortionist to a stalwart and outspoken advocate for children in the womb.
Dr. Nathanson’s passing reminds us of the powerful testimony of the dozens of doctors who have left the squalor of their abortion facilities and committed themselves to life-giving and authentic health care.
Dr. John Bruchalski is one of these doctors.
Click here to read more…
9) From Playboy Pornographer to Christian pastor: the unlikely story of Donny Pauling
It was the very same day that pornographer Donny Pauling was called in by Playboy and offered $4,000 a day to produce a new lesbian reality series, that he unexpectedly found himself at a moment of crisis.
Pauling had already made millions from pornography over the past eight years, ever since he began shooting porn part-time behind his wife’s back. But $4,000 a day was unprecedented, and there was something about the offer that made Pauling feel that if he took it, he was making his final commitment to the porn industry, and there would be no going back.
Click here to read more…
8) Journey to manhood: a former ‘transsexual’ tells his story
Walt Heyer was a little boy growing up in California in the mid 1940s, interested in cowboys, cars and steel guitars when one day, his grandmother fancied that he wanted to be a girl. She naively made for him a purple chiffon evening dress that he would wear when he visited her.
According to Walt, donning that purple chiffon dress triggered something that put him on a 35 year long path that led through a dark valley of “torment, disillusionment, regret, and sorrow.” His gender identity confusion led him into alcoholism, drug addiction, and attempted suicide.
Click here to read more…
7) Young girl with Down syndrome becomes ‘darling’ of child modeling world
When Gemma Andre submitted photos of her young daughter, Taya, to a UK modeling agency at the urging of a family member, she didn’t say anything about the fact that Taya was born with Down syndrome.
“No one asked the question, ‘Is your child disabled?’ So I didn’t mention it,” Gemma told the Daily Mail recently.
Click here to read more…
6) Woman dies of cancer after refusing treatment in order to save unborn child
An Oklahoma woman died of cancer last month after refusing chemotherapy that would have threatened the life of her unborn child,newsok.com reports.
An 11-year-old photo of Stacie Crimm, who sacrificed her life for her unborn child.
Stacie Crimm was 41, single, and unexpectedly pregnant, when she was diagnosed with head and neck cancer this past July. Faced with the agonizing decision of whether to expose her unborn child to a potentially fatal course of chemotherapy, Crimm decided to put her own life on the line instead.
Click here to read more…
5) The ultrasound that changed my life – Abby Johnson’s pro-life conversion in her own words
CHERYL POKED HER HEAD INTO MY OFFICE. “Abby, they need an extra person back in the exam room. Are you free?”
I looked up from my paperwork, surprised. “Sure.”
Though I’d been with Planned Parenthood for eight years, I had never been called into the exam room to help the medical team during an abortion, and I had no idea why I was needed now.
Click here to read more…
4) ‘The day I died’: the dramatic ‘death’ and recovery of pro-life activist Melanie Pritchard
Midnight contraction pains signaled to Melanie Pritchard that labor was beginning. If all went well, her baby would have a birth date on July 28th, 2010. Melanie phoned her mother to say that her husband Doug was taking her to the hospital.
Melanie Pritchard and her daughter Ella, whom Melanie nearly died giving birth to.
That phone call was the last event that Melanie remembers, the beginning of a 3-day dramatic ordeal that nearly took her life and the life of her unborn child.
Click here to read more…
3) I just went to get my hair done – and saved a baby from abortion instead!
I’ve been putting off getting my hair done for a while because it’s hard for me to rationalize spending the moneyand spending 2 hours being still. (I know, first world problem!) But, alas, my roots were quite blond so I scheduled an appointment for today. I’ve been battling the blues for a few days and would probably have stayed in bed had it not been for the appointment.
I walked in and took a seat while I waited for my stylist to come get me. I can’t even make up what happened next.
Click here to read more…
2) The Light of the World – the Steven Tyler and Julia Holcomb story
My maiden name is Julia Holcomb and I am writing in response to Kevin Burke’s article Post Abortion Trauma from the National Review. I found the article he wrote about Steven Tyler remarkably compassionate while outlining the trauma of abortion. My name was mentioned in this article, as it has been in several other articles that have been written lately, and in several books. I decided it was time to tell my story honestly, to the best of my memory, hoping to bring closure and peace to this period of my life.
Click here to read more…
1) Young mother with cancer sacrifices life for unborn child
In August of last year Jessica Council – a beautiful, 30-year-old mother of one – noticed that she had a sore throat. At around the same time, she also began to suspect that she was pregnant.
When after two weeks the sore throat had not gone away, Jessica decided to have it checked out. Her doctor told her that it was probably a thyroid goiter, and ultimately nothing to be too concerned about. Just to be sure, however, he had a test done, which he said confirmed his initial suspicions. Everything would be ok, he said.
But everything was not ok. The doctor had misread the test.
Click here to read more…