Courtney Baker is the mother of three daughters, the last of whom was born a few years ago. The girl was born only because of the woman’s unique desire not to follow her doctor’s advice to have an abortion.
The girl is affected by Down syndrome and this, according to the doctor, would cause her an unhappy future, full of traps. Courtney disobeyed the doctor, continued the pregnancy, and shortly after the little Emmy was born, wrote her a letter, which went viral.
Dear Doctor,
I enlisted your help during the most difficult period of my life. I was anxious, worried, desperate, I didn’t know anything about my little girl and I was hoping I would find out something from you. Instead of encouraging me and being close to me, you suggested I have an abortion. My family and I had already given the child a name, and at that time you asked me if I understood how much the quality of our lives with a daughter with Down syndrome would decrease. You also suggested that we rethink the choice to continue the task.
The hardest moment of my life had become impossible to live because you didn’t tell me the truth, that my little girl was perfect. I’m not angry or bitter, I’m just sad. Sad that these little hearts do not fill your life with miracles. Sad that the miracle of their lives does not make you hesitate every time. Sad because you were wrong to say that a child with Down syndrome would lower our quality of life. And just the thought that you could “recommend” this advice to other future mothers breaks my heart. Above all, I am sad that you will never know my daughter Emersyn.
You see, Emersyn not only improved our lives but made everyone who knew her better. She gave us joy and an impossible goal to express, she gave us the most beautiful smiles and the sweetest kisses we have ever received, she opened our eyes to the true beauty and purity of love. I pray that no other mother will go through what I went through and I hope that you will be able to see in each ultrasound what we see now: pure love and beauty. I also hope that when you discover the next baby with Down syndrome sleeping nicely in her mother’s womb, you can tell her that her baby is perfect.