58 DECEMBER 2025 www.goodnewsfl.org Good News • South Florida Edition COMMUNITY NEWS From Trauma to Triumph: A Survivor’s Case Against Abortion Jerry Newcombe, D. Min. Executive Director, Providence Forum I heard a very moving talk from a rape victim recently, and what she said reminds me of the reason why abortion has gained such a stranglehold in America. Rape is a horrible and violent crime. The allegation of rape is part of the reason America has embraced abortion so strongly in the last half-century. The original story of “Roe” was that she was raped. She was not. She just wanted an abortion. “Roe was the plaintiff in “Roe v. Wade,” the 1973 Supreme Court decision that gave us abortion on demand. Lianna’s story John and Tewannah Aman head up Broward Right to Life. And this year, as is often the case, I was privileged to serve as the MC. Their speaker was Lianna Rebolledo. Lianna told us that she was born in Mexico. But because of her parents’ divorce, she came to Los Angeles with her mother at the age of 11. When she was around 12, Lianna was kidnapped by two men, who raped her repeatedly, and left her for dead. This devastated Lianna. When she went to the hospital, they told her she was pregnant, and they wanted her to abort the baby. They told her that “she didn’t deserve to have to live with the consequences of rape.” But she chose life for her daughter, and for 25 years that daughter gave her meaning in life. Tragically, the daughter died of brain tumors, but Lianna was so grateful for the time she had with her. As she told her life story, there wasn’t a dry eye in the place. Guiding thoughts Lianna shares such observations, as noted per writer Amy O’Donnell: ▪ “I thought I would be giving my baby the death penalty when it wasn’t my baby’s fault. My baby didn’t deserve to be punished for the rape because my baby didn’t have anything to do with that.” ▪ “[My daughter] wasn’t lower class or second class because of how she was conceived; she was just like any other human being, and she didn’t deserve less than anyone else.” ▪ “Even with all the suffering and pain, I would go through that again just to know my daughter. It wasn’t easy, but it was definitely worth it. In my situation, two lives were saved.” ▪ “Abortion is not the solution… .Not even for rape.” To me, Lianna Rebolledo’s story is a powerful reminder of our need to get back to the goal of the right to life as mentioned in the Declaration of Independence. Jerry Newcombe, D.Min., is the executive director of the Providence Forum, an outreach of Coral Ridge Ministries. Lianna Rebolledo, who suffered a horrific rape at age 12 and kept her baby, despite pressure to abort, spoke on November 1 at the Broward County Right to Life Benefit Breakfast. Writer and event emcee Jerry Newcombe is seated at left. (Photo credit: Spiritled Studios)
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