Her daughter motivated her to pursue her college education, inspiring her to work hard as a single mom to build a bright future for her family. She is now a mom to eight children and a grandma!

For many women who find themselves facing an unplanned pregnancy, they feel afraid, worried and unsure about their future. Abortion comes up as an option in their moment of fear. 

But for 15-year-old Annelise, she felt strongly that her positive pregnancy test was a sign of a beautiful, innocent life growing inside her. She knew her baby was made in the image of God and believed she couldn’t take that life away. Annelise stayed true to her pro-life convictions, even when others suggested abortion.

“I didn’t feel that [abortion] was right. I felt that this was a baby. This was a human being. This was a child that deserved to live, a child that had their own future, probably 80, 90, 100 years of life ahead of them,” Annelise says.

A new future with a baby

Despite choosing life, Annelise still felt anxious about her pregnancy. She was 15 and had not finished high school yet. She was a teenager learning to become a mom for the first time.

“I had that kind of echo in my head where people say, ‘Oh, what are you going to do if you keep the baby? How are you going to live your life? It’s going to be ruined from now on. You’re going to end up on government support. You’re never going to get a job.’ So I had all that in my head. And because my mom was a single mom and was partly dependent on government support, I was very driven to be able to support myself independently,” Annelise recalls.

With her mom’s love and support, Annelise got connected to a pro-life Catholic organization that provided housing for women facing a crisis or unplanned pregnancy. Her mom wanted her to become independent and self-sufficient enough to raise her baby on her own.

Annelise moved into the Catholic home when she was about five months along. She received government support to pay her rent and continue her high school education remotely. Her hard work paid off when she obtained her school certificate shortly before she gave birth to her daughter, Abby.

“I wanted to set an example for Abby, to show her that mom was going to work hard to give her a life where she could go to a good school and she could have things,” Annelise says.

For the early stages of Abby’s life, Annelise co-parented as friends with her child’s father, but she realized she wanted to marry someone who shared her faith and loved God. Abby’s father continued to build a strong relationship with Abby as she grew up, and he helped to look after her. Abby and her father regularly went on father-daughter trips and outings, and he was there to walk her down the aisle on her wedding day.

‘It is all worthwhile’

Annelise with her husband and children.

Being a single mom didn’t stop Annelise from pursuing her college degree. After school, she enrolled in TAFE (technical and further education) courses in hospitality and tourism. She was accepted to attend the University of New South Wales and graduated with distinction with a bachelor’s degree in commerce, majoring in business law and economics. She worked for Ernst & Young after graduation. 

All of Annelise’s accomplishments came from a deep desire to build a bright future for her daughter and cultivate a life she would be proud of. 

“The common mantra I heard — and many young moms hear — is that you will never achieve anything if you go ahead with having a baby as a young, single mom. While now in hindsight, I think being wholly present in your child’s childhood is a priority over university, working, etc., I would like young moms to see that the mantra is false and it is possible. If I had to sum up my experience, 25 years on from that initial decision for life, it would be the quote of St. Josemaría Escrivá, ‘It is all worthwhile,’” Annelise says.

As she embraced motherhood, Annelise reconnected with her Catholic faith. She wanted God in her life and trusted in Him for strength and wisdom. By the time Abby was 12, Annelise married her husband, Jay, who shares her faith and love for God. Annelise and Jay have been happily married for over 13 years and have seven children together.

Annelise has a beautiful relationship with Abby, who is now 25 years old, married, a mom to a 2-year-old girl, and expecting another baby on the way. She works as a hospital pharmacist, graduating from Sydney University with high distinction.

“From being 15, looking at a pregnancy stick in the bathroom, thinking, ‘Oh my gosh, how is my life going to turn out?’ To now, being 41, Abby is coming over to visit me with her little daughter — my granddaughter, Emilia — and she is playing with my young children. We’re hanging out, having coffee, and we’re the best of friends now. I could never have foreseen any of that,” Annelise says.

Annelise’s encouragement to those facing an unplanned pregnancy:

“It’s the end of your life as you know it. But it’s the opening to a new pathway, to a new life, that is full of joy and happiness. There might be crosses, and yes it might involve sacrifice, but the joy and happiness of holding your baby in your arms and cuddling it, feeding it, nurturing it, and just watching it grow — that joy far surpasses … the small sacrifices that are going to come your way. The decision for life is always the right one.”