18-year-old Frannie was enjoying college life, working hard toward a 4.0 GPA, and preparing for finals when she realized her period was late.

“I took a pregnancy test, and lo and behold, I was pregnant,” Frannie says.

GROWING UP QUICKLY 

Frannie was surprised about her pregnancy since she and her then-boyfriend of two years had been using protection. As news of her pregnancy circulated, people started asking if she would get an abortion.

“Even my father, whom I wasn’t in the greatest terms with, said, ‘Well, I’m not going to help pay for any hospital bills or anything, but if you would like an abortion, I will pay for that procedure.’ I was already four or five months pregnant at the time. I was like, ‘No, that is definitely not on the table.’ It was sad because he asked me on Father’s Day,” Frannie recalls.

Despite the pressure to get an abortion, Frannie chose life for her son. Her mom was her cheerleader during that time and supported her as she continued her college education.

Frannie says, “My mom is my biggest motivator. She was extremely pro-life her whole life. She did walks for pro-life charities. She helped other girls when she was a high school health teacher. There was another girl that wanted to get an abortion, and she talked her out of it. She always gave that message to young high school girls that there’s options. There’s resources out there. You’re not alone. If you become pregnant, you’re still able to fulfill your dreams.”

As her pregnancy progressed, Frannie’s then-boyfriend started becoming abusive. He didn’t care for her during the pregnancy and would belittle her in front of his friends. Over time, he became an alcoholic.

“Throughout that pregnancy, I kept him around, but it wasn’t a great experience,” Frannie recalls.

In January 2015, Frannie gave birth to her son. She stayed with her child’s father until her son was 10 months old. His alcoholism and infidelity ultimately led Frannie to break off the relationship.

“He would just basically leave me to care for my son all by myself,” Frannie says.

After the relationship ended, Frannie moved in with her mom, who helped care for her son as she struggled with postpartum depression. Frannie then terminated her ex-boyfriend’s parental rights when her son was 2 years old for abandonment and his struggle with addiction.

“It was a very sad situation, but I was so happy to have my son out of that situation so he didn’t have to deal with all of that,” Frannie says.

With her mom’s support, Frannie was able to graduate from college in 2021 with a bachelor’s in nursing. She is currently working part time as an outpatient psychiatric nurse for a government subsidized program, helping lower-income individuals receive the care they need. Frannie is in the process of getting her master’s and doctorate as a psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner by 2027.

“It made me grow up quick because I wasn’t living the best life. I was living the college kid life. I was drinking, partying, trying to have a good time,” Frannie recalls. “Then, I realized that I needed to grow up and I needed to be a good supportive mother and be a good role model for my son. That’s what allowed me to be like, hey, I need to get my act together and get my nursing degree and be able to support him and show him a good role model.”

Frannie’s son is now 9 years old and is extremely intelligent. He loves science and wants to be an electrician when he grows up. 

‘GOD IS WITH YOU ALWAYS’

Frannie during her second pregnancy.

In August 2022, Frannie found herself pregnant to a guy whom she was engaged with. But after noticing his abusive and controlling behaviors, she decided to leave that relationship and move back with her mom.

It hasn’t been easy for Frannie to be a single mom to two children, but she has learned to take things day by day and trust that God would care for her family.

“I pray to God every single day to lead me in the right direction because I know I’ve made some major mistakes in life, but they’ve always led to beautiful outcomes like my son and my daughter,” Frannie says.

Going through both pregnancies was challenging for Frannie in many ways, especially when she faced judgment from the people around her.

“There’s a lot of people that hold a stigma. They might be whispering about you and they don’t realize the strength it takes to walk this path and not just sweep it under the rug with an abortion,” Frannie says.

Looking back, Frannie has seen how faithfully God has provided for her and her children. She had friends who visited her at the hospital, random people who gave her maternity and baby supplies, and Walmart shoppers who gave her a Bible and helped her get free diapers.

“God is with you always,” Frannie says. “It’s hard to even comprehend that. It sounds pretty cliche, but I’ve noticed with a lot of things, especially with my last pregnancy, I didn’t have a lot of money. I’ve ended up spending thousands on a lawyer to help with the custody case, but I’ve just had so many random people throughout the community provide me with free baby supplies, given me toys. I got a free crib and a playpen.”