She was told by a social worker after birth to leave her baby in the hospital because she was too young to be a mom. She has shared her story with women at Planned Parenthood to encourage them to choose life.

Beverly had just turned 17 when she faced an unplanned pregnancy in high school. She wrestled with the decision to place her baby for adoption, and in the end chose to parent her child.

“When I found out I was pregnant, I knew there was no way that I was not going to have this baby … Abortion never entered my mind,” Beverly recalls.

Beverly opening gifts during her baby shower.

With Beverly’s dad having passed a year earlier from lung cancer, her mom was left to process the news by herself and watch Beverly and her twin sister go through an unplanned pregnancy at the same time.

“I remember one time laying in my bed going, oh my goodness. There is a baby inside of me, and I need to take care of this baby,” Beverly says.

Beverly’s family was supportive of the pregnancy, but she faced a lot of judgment from her peers. Beverly felt so ashamed that she hid her pregnancy as long as she could and didn’t have a doctor’s appointment until she was seven months along.

“I feel like I got caught because I got pregnant … I felt dirty and not good,” Beverly says.

Beverly’s son, Joey.

Her son, Joey, was born right after her senior year started. Beverly decided to drop out of high school and get her GED later to focus on being a mom since her child’s father was not present. 

“I needed to support this child. I needed to take care of this child because he was mine, and that’s what I had to do. I dropped out so I could be the caretaker. I did everything by myself,” Beverly says.

During her stay at the hospital, a social worker told Beverly that she didn’t have to parent her child. Beverly was advised to leave her son in the hospital because she was too young to be a mom.

“History repeats itself. Your child will most likely do the same thing that you have done,” the social worker told Beverly.

Joey with his wife and children.

Beverly is grateful she didn’t listen to the social worker and kept her baby. Her son did not repeat history. Instead, he is now 40 years old, married to his wife for 13 years, and a father to four boys. 

“Things happen for a reason. Joey came to me because I really needed him. I couldn’t imagine my life without him today … I always say that my biggest mistake is my biggest blessing, and he has blessed me with four boys that look just like him,” Beverly says.

Beverly and her son, Joey.

Being a single mom for a few years was difficult. There were times Beverly felt she couldn’t make it, but she found the strength within herself to endure and overcome challenging circumstances. Beverly also received overwhelming support from her mom, who helped her raise her son. She lived with her mom for about five years until she got married.

“I don’t know what I would have done without my mother,” Beverly says.

Beverly is grateful she chose life for her son and wants to encourage other women to choose life for their babies. She has stood in front of Planned Parenthood many times to share her story to persuade women to not go through with their abortion.

“That’s my goal — to be able to help people and tell her to find a good support system, people that believe in your beliefs and that you can count on because they’ll be the ones that will be behind you,” Beverly says.