{"id":265257,"date":"2022-03-31T14:42:50","date_gmt":"2022-03-31T19:42:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.liveaction.org\/news\/?p=265257"},"modified":"2022-03-30T18:27:19","modified_gmt":"2022-03-30T23:27:19","slug":"pro-life-leader-brother-vulnerable-defend","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/archive.liveaction.org\/news\/pro-life-leader-brother-vulnerable-defend\/","title":{"rendered":"Pro-life leader’s younger brother inspired him to defend the most vulnerable"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Brian Gibson\u2019s destiny as a pro-life advocate was set into motion at an early age. Growing up with eight siblings \u2013 one sister and seven brothers \u2014 Gibson learned at a young age from his parents that every life had inherent value. They demonstrated their pro-life principles by how loving and patient they were with Brian\u2019s younger brother, who had a disability.<\/p>\n

Brian told Live Action News, \u201cMy parents exemplified to my siblings and me what it means to be pro-life. They taught us that every child is a blessing from God. My brother may have been handicapped, but I couldn\u2019t have imagined life without him. He was deeply loved.\u201d Little did Brian know that one day he would take a stand \u2014\u00a0literally \u2014 for his brother, and in doing so, would commit his life to pro-life activism.<\/p>\n

Pro-life beginnings<\/h3>\n

He recalls that during his sophomore year of high school, his Current Events teacher spoke with great affection for Communist China. When discussing the topic of abortion, as Roe v. Wade<\/em> was being debated before the Supreme Court at the time, she requested all the students stand, and then peppered them with questions about their views on abortion. The questions began with her asking if abortion access should be restricted, to the final question of whether or not abortion should be banned. One by one, the students sat down, until Brian was the lone individual still standing, who believed abortion should be banned.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was shocking to be the only one taking a stance against abortion, because most of the students in my class were parishioners at my church,\u201d Brian said. \u201cI think what bothered me was the discussion beforehand of aborting babies who were \u2018mentally retarded.\u2019 I thought of my brother and knew his life had worth. That was the turning point for me in cementing my pro-life convictions.\u201d<\/p>\n

Brian\u2019s passion for pro-life advocacy eventually led him to pursue a career with\u00a0Pro-Life Action Ministries<\/a>, where he currently serves as Executive Director. In 1981, they were the first organization in the nation to lead prayer support rallies at abortion facilities.<\/p>\n

The journey to adoption<\/h3>\n

Coming from a large family, Gibson and his wife, Julie, were looking forward to starting a family of their own, but issues with infertility led them to consider adoption. As if in answer to prayer, late one afternoon, a sidewalk counselor intervened to help a young woman scheduled for an abortion the following morning, suggesting she instead consider placing her baby for adoption. The counselor offered to connect Gibson and his wife with the young woman.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe were delighted to learn this young woman had given her life to Christ and decided to choose life for her baby,” Gibson said. “Like most couples who have gone through the adoption process, we had several adoptions fall through, so we were grateful she selected us to parent her child.\u201d<\/p>\n

Both the birth mother and the Gibsons decided to work with an agency to finalize the adoption. Julie was in the delivery room when the baby girl was born, and the Gibsons were permitted to take the newborn home from the hospital. During their daughter\u2019s childhood, the birth mother communicated with her sole through letters and photos, which the agency forwarded to the Gibsons.<\/p>\n

READ: 9 amazing women who have built and shaped the pro-life movement<\/a><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n