15-year-old Tiara was a sophomore in high school when she faced an unplanned pregnancy with her then-boyfriend that led to an abortion.
Both of their families thought it wasn’t the right time for them to be having a child at a very young age. Tiara and her then-boyfriend mutually decided to choose abortion. But that choice significantly impacted Tiara for many years.
“My grades started slipping, and I was constantly just battling with the thoughts of ending a life. That really took a toll on me,” Tiara recalls.
‘YOUR LIFE WILL NOT END AT ALL’
Shortly after her sophomore year, Tiara met her now-husband, David. They immediately started dating and found themselves navigating an unplanned pregnancy during Tiara’s senior year in high school.
Tiara was only 17 years old and had just celebrated her senior prom when she found out she was pregnant. She was able to graduate a month later but faced a lot of pressure to choose abortion again.
“My whole family was saying, ‘You can’t possibly be thinking it’s OK to have this child.’And I’m just like, ‘Yeah, I can’t go through with an abortion,’” Tiara recalls.
David’s family was supportive of whatever choice Tiara wanted to make. But it was his grandmother, who was a strong Christian woman, who gave Tiara the encouragement she needed to choose life.
“There is no sense in sending you to hell because there is still life after. Your life will not end at all. It’ll just be a new beginning in a different way than what you were expecting, or what your family expects of you,” David’s grandmother told Tiara.
Those words helped Tiara find hope during a difficult season and ultimately choose life.
“I think the biggest difference was me being slightly older, not having to go through the next two years of high school and the scrutiny from peers and staff … I felt like I had a little bit more strength in me to say that I can do this. I didn’t feel within me that I needed to go through that process. The abortion was very traumatic mentally. I speak a lot about it in poetry when I share a lot of transparency about things that can cause depression,” Tiara says.
Tiara’s daughter, Skyler, is now 17 years old. Skyler is gifted in painting and poetry and plans to major in art therapy in college.
“I cannot imagine life without her. She’s such a beam of light. I know we say all of our children are special, but she truly has an anointing in her life,” Tiara says.
Choosing life came with many challenges, but Tiara’s mom walked alongside her to give her the guidance she needed to be the best mom she could be for her daughter.
“My mom made sure I was a very present parent. She’s very loving, very nurturing … She taught me how important it is not only to be a mother, but a present and active mom at such a young age,” Tiara says.
After that unplanned pregnancy, Tiara and David got married. They have been together for over 16 years and have three children together.
“Being a mom has become one of the most rewarding jobs that I ever experienced. In some spaces, I am speaking to that little girl in me. When I talk to my daughter in some spaces, they pour so much back into me as well,” Tiara says.
HELPING PEOPLE HEAL
In 2026, Tiara will graduate with her bachelor’s in psychology and will pursue her master’s in psychology afterward. Tiara will use her master’s to become a therapist and walk alongside people who need support and encouragement.
“I cannot wait to be able to be in those spaces and help people heal,” Tiara says.
Facing two unplanned pregnancies in high school brought feelings of shame and inadequacy that Tiara wrestled for years. She dealt with criticisms about having children early at a young age and hearing church members whisper about her when she was pregnant with her daughter.
Tiara was able to heal from her abortion and overcome shame by writing poetry and leaning on to her husband for support. She is heavily invested in her poetry and shares it with young girls who need positive role models in their lives.
“My way of giving myself a little hug or pat in the back now is paying it forward. I get a chance to speak to young girls at schools through my spoken word and speaking about shame, not feeling your best with the decisions you’ve made,” Tiara says. “We all fall short, and mistakes don’t necessarily tell us who we are. We tell ourselves who we are, who we would like to be.”
To the expectant mom who is facing an unplanned pregnancy:
“Think about what you want your future to be. I would honestly say, pray — a lot of prayer. And if you do choose life, that is not the end of the world. It’s your world beginning in a whole different way. So many women have gone before who have chosen life, and it is OK. You’ll be OK.” – Tiara
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