At 25, a few months after moving to a new city on her own, Madison* faced a life-changing moment. A surprise pregnancy, a fast-moving relationship, and a world she thought she knew suddenly left her confronting fear, tough choices and an uncertain path ahead.

Six years later, at 31, she’s carving her own path as a single mom.

Grounded at home, tested in transition

Madison, the second oldest of nine in a close-knit Irish Catholic family, grew up surrounded by a lively, faith-filled environment grounded in strong values.

She describes her years growing up as “blessed and beautiful.” Even as she learned to navigate her large household during her childhood years on her own at times, stability and trust shaped her early years.

Madison was homeschooled until high school, then attended Catholic schools where she played sports and stayed active socially. But adulthood brought unexpected change.

After high school, she transferred colleges multiple times, navigated a long-distance relationship, and adjusted as her family relocated to another state without her. She later moved there, graduated and began working — rediscovering stability while living at home again.

A new relationship and a turning point

While working at a bar, Madison met her son’s father.

Their relationship grew quickly, with all the excitement and sparks that a new relationship holds. She found herself in an unfamiliar crowd, overlooking concerns in her relationships and pushing them aside as “down-the-road” issues.

Not long after settling into her own apartment and starting her new job, Madison’s life shifted again.

In February 2020, she found out she was pregnant.

An unexpected pregnancy

Her reaction was immediate and overwhelming. When she shared the news with her son’s father, he asked if she wanted marriage, but she declined, not wanting to marry just because of a child. She says he was supportive of her and the pregnancy in the beginning.

Coming from a large family where neither her immediate nor extended relatives had experienced divorce or pregnancy outside of marriage, Madison says she felt completely isolated.

“I felt like the black sheep,” she recalls.

But even in the shock, one thing remained clear – she would choose life.

Although people around her offered support, Madison says the decision ultimately came down to her own convictions. Despite the fear, she never considered abortion.

“I never once weighed the options … I just turned that off in my brain,” Madison says.

Instead, she held onto a single thought to get through the uncertainty: “Don’t let fear be the thing that decides this.”

Pregnancy during isolation and becoming a mother

Soon after learning she was pregnant, the world shut down during the COVID-19 pandemic.

An early COVID-19 diagnosis left Madison isolated — unable to attend regular appointments and fearful for her health and her baby’s development.

At the same time, she kept her pregnancy private, slowly sharing the news with family members. While the initial reactions were mixed, moments of unexpected joy stood out.

When her younger siblings found out, their response calmed all the noise: “We’re going to be aunts!”

In October 2020, Madison gave birth to her son, Thomas*.

The pregnancy was healthy, but new challenges followed. Just one week after giving birth, Madison lost the job she had held for over a year and planned maternity leave from.

Suddenly, she was navigating motherhood without a stable income, relying on savings, assistance programs, and her son’s father’s support to get by.

Navigating a difficult season

As time went on, Madison’s relationship with her son’s father became increasingly difficult. What had once felt stable shifted into emotional strain, and eventually, she made the decision to leave in 2023.

Despite the hardships, Madison says she has never questioned her decision in choosing life.

“I still wouldn’t change a thing about Thomas being born,” she says. “He’s the most happy, wonderful blessing. I would choose to go through it a hundred times over if it gave me him.”

Life today and looking ahead

Today, Madison is raising Thomas while working multiple jobs — including full-time as a teacher and other part-time roles — all centered around being present for her son.

“The biggest motivation is being his mom,” she says. 

Madison hopes to build a stable and peaceful future — not just for herself, but for Thomas.

“I hope to God that one day it’s in my future to give him siblings because I think they’re the greatest gift,” she says. 

Madison also says she dreams of giving him a strong example of love — something she is intentional about creating in her own life.

“I want him to see that I’m happy,” she shares. “That’s the way he’s going to learn — when you’re doing the right things for you. [That’s what] I’m working on — having a life that I’m proud of to show him.”

Madison’s encouragement to those facing an unplanned pregnancy:

“Love [is] so much bigger than fear. The love I have for Thomas [is] infinitely larger than any of the fear. You don’t know it, but the moment your life switches tracks and you find out you’re facing an unplanned pregnancy, [there’s] the hugest reward coming for you. Something clicks into place instantly [when] that baby is placed on your heartbeat. I can’t speak [for] everyone, but for me there was a universal shift and all I could do was think, ‘This is what I was made for.’”

Writer’s Note: A pseudonym was used for Madison and Thomas.

Written by Melina Nicole.