Suzanne, Peter, and Rachel Guy have been staples at 40 Days for Life vigils, the annual March for Life in Washington D.C., and dozens of other Pro-Life events throughout the years, so much so that the family could easily be overlooked because of their frequent appearances. But the Guys are worth noting, not only because of their tireless dedication to defending life but also because, behind their smiles and softly whispered prayers, they have a story of heartache, strength, and hope that exemplifies the Pro-Life message a hundred times over.
That story begins in 1998, when, after marrying years before and diligently trying to conceive with no success, Suzanne and Peter were overjoyed to discover that they were expecting their very first child, a little girl whom they cherished jealously from the moment they learned of her existence. They prepared her room, sifted through names, dreamed what it would be like to be called "Mom and Dad," and eagerly anticipated Rachel's arrival, imagining what it would be like to hold her in their arms for the first time, giving her her very first hug. But all of the soon-to-be-parents' joy would turn into devastation in the blink of an eye during their twenty-two week ultrasound.
While the appointment began normally enough, Suzanne soon began to suspect that something was wrong with Rachel when the attending nurse paused while conducting the ultrasound and quietly excused herself to speak with a doctor (a step that had never occurred during any previous visit). Upon arrival, the doctor gave weight to those suspicions, coolly explaining a prenatal diagnosis that left Suzanne agonizing over her child's future, as the happy vision of Rachel she had held seemed to slip away. As Suzanne still recounts, "She (the doctor) said, 'Your baby must not have any kidneys, your baby must not have a bladder, half your amniotic fluid is gone. There must be something chromosomally wrong with your baby...you need to have an abortion. You could die, and your baby most certainly will die.'" An unemotional and sterile encapsulation of a child that Suzanne couldn't associate with her daughter and a solution that left nothing up for debate. But, even in the midst of her shock, Suzanne knew deep in her heart that there had to be another option for her child, even if that option was going home to await Rachel's passing. At the very least, Suzanne would not submit to the purposeful killing of the little girl she already loved so much.
Making their intentions clear to the medical establishment (to let Rachel live as long as she might), the couple went home and tried to pick up the pieces. However, as Suzanne still admits to this day, it was difficult to do so and at times she doubted the decision she had made for her daughter. Was she dooming Rachel to an existence of hardship and hurt? Was it worth a few more moments with her daughter if they were spent in sadness and regret? Was there anything good that could come out of this circumstance? And then Suzanne's mother arrived and asked her despondent daughter a very important question: "Is there still a heartbeat?" When this fact was confirmed, the devoted grandmother then uttered the phrase that has stayed with Suzanne to this day and now defines the entire family's Pro-Life work. She said, "If there's a heartbeat, there's hope." Clinging to this truth for the rest of their pregnancy, the Guys also remembered that God has a plan for everything.
Rachel was born via C-section at 26 weeks, "squawking" and fighting for her life, even reaching up to grab the doctor's stethoscope, which surprised everyone because all predictions had said she would be too weak to move or make any sound at all. While she was premature, the prenatal diagnoses had been wrong and, despite a stay in the NICU to stabilize, Rachel was perfectly healthy and went home soon afterwards with her parents to begin the life she was nearly denied at the onset, to its fullest potential. And she has done just that.
Photo Credit: IStockPhoto.com, Live Action News.org
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