Teen mom chose life, graduated as a full-ride scholar, became a nurse, and now works as a health executive.

Marisa Liepman was in denial. 

She was 17 years old with a positive pregnancy test, and even with the symptoms she experienced, she couldn’t accept that she was a teen mom. 

“I was so delusional because I thought my life would be over,” Marisa recalls. “I have all these aspirations. I got to go to college. My family would disown me.”

Marisa was 16 years old when she started dating her daughter’s dad, who was 21 at the time. Worried about her future, Marisa hid her pregnancy as much as she could. She continued attending school and participating in her extracurriculars. She even competed at the state basketball championships pregnant. 

Mother shared abortion story, daughter chose life

On her 18th birthday, Marisa’s mom talked to her after a basketball game. Her mom noticed that she had not been using any tampons for a few months and assumed she was pregnant. 

During this conversation, Marisa’s mom shared her unplanned pregnancy story and urged Marisa to choose life.

“She opened up and actually told me she got pregnant at 18 at Washington State University with her boyfriend, and had an abortion and been hiding it for so many years,” Marisa says. “And so she had this epiphany at the time. I’m going through this crisis and she was like, ‘I understand. I’ve been there. I chose the wrong option, and I’ve been hiding this guilt for years.’”

They went home and told her dad about her pregnancy, which her dad didn’t take lightly. Marisa saw her dad cry for the first time. Her dad was disappointed because he had aspirations for her to play basketball in college.

“It was more of a disappointment that I’ve kind of lost my future. And that’s when I felt the guilt, the shame. I felt like I’ve ruined my parent’s life, my family’s life,” Marisa says.

Feeling ashamed, Marisa left home and moved in with her boyfriend. She worked at Wendy’s with him while she attended Eastern Washington University.

“It was probably the darkest kind of days of my life because he was not a good guy,” Marisa says. “Fast forward later, he abused me. But I thought this is my only option. There’s no way out. I have to stay with him.” 

‘Being pregnant isn’t an end all’

Marisa’s life started to turn around after she visited Life Services in Spokane. Her LS counselor, who had an unplanned pregnancy herself, encouraged Marisa and gave her hope that she would still be able to attend college while raising her daughter.

“That’s when it kind of started to shift. It’s going to be a different path and it’s going to be hard, but I don’t want to lose sight of what I want to attain. Being pregnant isn’t an end all,” Marisa says.

Marisa’s LS counselor and a church friend helped her transfer to Washington State University when she was seven months pregnant. Not only was Marisa able to take online classes, but she was granted a full-ride scholarship at WSU.

“I thought life was over,” Marisa recalls, “and so understanding that there was hope and it’s just going to look different was what really changed for me — so seeking out resources, getting connected, started joining a young mom’s single group.”

Throughout her pregnancy, Marisa felt supported by her family, friends and church group. Her church didn’t shun her, but instead embraced her and even organized a baby shower for her. Marisa’s parents stood by her, faithfully praying for her and the baby.

Marisa found her freedom from her abusive relationship when Hailey was 2 years old. She knew Hailey’s dad would hinder her success, and having the courage to leave that relationship opened many doors of opportunities for Marisa.

“I can do this on my own. I’m getting into nursing school. And my family was like, ‘Look at all you’ve accomplished. You were 17 years old and pregnant, but you can do this,’” Marisa says. “I got my hustle over the hardest part. I’m just going to keep moving forward.”

Redemption and closure

After graduating from WSU as a full-ride scholar, Marisa moved to Seattle for nursing school while being a single mom. Her hustle paid off, moving her way up from being a nurse to a health executive. 

Hailey shared her mom’s drive and success. She graduated from California Lutheran University with a biology degree and now works as a manager.

“Looking back, it was the hope of a better future with God and with resources and family that I feel a lot of people don’t have,” Marisa says. “Your life isn’t over. It’s going to look different, but don’t give up. But you also have to be proactive, and I think what’s changed for me is actually saying that I’ve got to take some hard steps or look at it through a different lens than just waiting for things to be OK.”

As Marisa experienced transformation through that unplanned pregnancy, her mom was able to find closure and experience redemption from her abortion. Marisa and her mom shared their parallel stories at a conference in 2000, where they spoke about the value of choosing life. Her mom has been doing post-abortion counseling in Seattle for many years now.

“God’s a gracious and forgiving God, and I feel redeemed,” Marisa says. “That’s the beauty of our Savior is that he forgives and you move on. It hasn’t been easy, but I feel that this was what God had planned for me. I don’t get it all the time, but I am so thankful.”

Looking back, Marisa knew God was with her through all the seasons in her life. He connected her to the right people, and she found the community she needed to thrive in life and achieve her dreams.

“I think there were so many miracles that He would do to keep my eyes open and focused on Him,” Marisa says. “It’s a rollercoaster sometimes, and I think that’s where having that faith was essential. Even when I feel like I’m distant, I know He’s still there and He’ll kind of throw a line out and say, ‘Hey, don’t forget about me. You got it.’”

Marisa sometimes thinks about what she would have missed out on if she had chosen abortion or adoption. She knows the good far exceeded the bad moments in her life, and having Hailey was the best thing that happened to her.

“I’m so glad to just tell my story that helps just one person. That’s so big to me because life is so precious,” Marisa says. “You keep your eyes on God. You can do it. Everyone’s story is going to look different, but there’s a reason every child is brought into this earth.”

Written by Loren Ward.