At just 14 years old, Angelina’s life took an unexpected turn—one that would challenge her, transform her, and ultimately save her. Her journey through teenage pregnancy was not just a personal battle but a family endeavor — one filled with hardships, growth, and unwavering support.
From Darkness to a New Beginning
Before pregnancy, Angelina felt lost. She struggled with depression, engaged in reckless behavior, and felt disconnected from her family, particularly her mother, JoJean.
“I was always sneaking out, hanging with boys, smoking. I had serious depression and even tried committing suicide a couple of times. My relationship with my parents was horrible. I always thought I hated my mom,” Angelina shared with Live Action News.
She felt adrift, without direction, making choices that pushed her further into darkness.
Then came the moment that changed everything. At just 14 years old, Angelina sensed something was off. “One day, everything just felt weird. I took a few [pregnancy] tests, and they all came back positive.” The realization was staggering, but disbelief kept her from fully processing the truth.
“I didn’t really believe it at first. But during my first ultrasound, I started getting emotional. It was a happy, sad, in-shock sort of feeling.”
The first few months of Angelina’s pregnancy were grueling, marked by intense sickness. “I was so sick to my stomach, I couldn’t move. I couldn’t sit up, I couldn’t walk, I couldn’t eat. I felt like I was dying.”
Emotionally, she was still trying to comprehend the enormous change happening in her life. Socially, however, she found unexpected support. She recalled, “I actually gained friends during the pregnancy. Everyone was super sweet and helpful, and I hung out with lots of people.”
A Mother’s Intuition
Before Angelina even spoke a word, her mother, JoJean, already knew something was different. “As a mother, you just have these natural instincts and know when something is wrong. I prayed I was wrong, but I knew I was right.”
Her gut feeling was so strong that she left work early one day, unable to quiet her thoughts. When she confronted Angelina, she had already purchased a pregnancy test, but her daughter confirmed the news before even taking it.
JoJean shared, “Abortion and adoption were topics brought up by some people in our circle, but neither were options for our family. We knew supporting Angelina through her pregnancy and preparing our baby to raise a baby was going to be a challenge, but it would be one worthwhile.”
For their family, life instantly changed. “Finding out Angelina was going to be bringing a precious new life into this world forced her to self-reflect. It gave her hope and something to look forward to, completely changing her behaviors,” JoJean said.
Photo courtesy of Angelina (Do Not Reprint)
A Family’s New Beginning
While Angelina underwent her personal transformation, her family also faced a challenging road ahead.
“For my husband and I and our other two girls, it was a lot of mental and emotional preparation. A lot of counseling, financial changes, and trying to connect with people and programs who offered support,” said JoJean.
Angelina’s younger sisters, however, were all in from the beginning. “From asking the hard questions to wanting to discuss baby names and rushing to the store every chance they could to pick up ‘something special,’ it became an all-consuming excitement for them,” she said.
The family rallied, determined to provide Angelina with the stability and love she needed.
While she offered unconditional support, JoJean struggled with accepting her new title: grandmother. “Becoming a Lolli (I’m too young to be called Grandma) at 34 was a hard pill to swallow. I was still in my prime, contemplating another baby of my own. I was heartbroken for myself. But more so, I was devastated for my daughter and how this was going to alter her life.”
No one ever expects to be guiding their teenage daughter through motherhood so soon. “How was I supposed to prepare my 14-year-old daughter to be a mother? I thought I had at least 10 years before we got to this stage,” JoJean shared.
Yet, despite the difficulty, the family embraced their new reality. And when little “Coconut” finally arrived, everything changed.
Photo courtesy of Angelina (Do Not Reprint)
Angelina’s birth experience was fast and surreal. “I was at school when I started going into labor. I thought it was just Braxton Hicks, but the pain got worse and worse. We still waited because we didn’t know I was actually going into labor yet.” That evening, she arrived at the hospital, and the pain became unbearable.
Angelina remembers, “I pushed three times in less than five minutes, and my son was out.”
True transformation happened after his arrival. “He changed my life for the better. I was no longer depressed, no longer putting myself in bad situations. I was happy and wanted to be better—not only for myself but for my son,” she said.
Her family, too, felt the impact. “We all work together as a family unit to ensure his happiness and well-being,” said JoJean. “Angelina has become a wonderful young mother. She’s happy, mentally well, driven, motivated, and excelling. She is everything a mother wants for her daughter…it just looks a little different for us.”
“My grandson SAVED his mama’s life, very literally, and I will always be thankful and feel blessed beyond measure, simply by his existence,” she added.
Angelina graduated high school on May 22, 2025, secured a stable job, and is creating a bright future for herself and her son, who is now two years old.
A Message to Families Facing Teen Pregnancy
For parents in similar situations, JoJean offers heartfelt advice:
It’s going to be hard. You’re going to feel emotions at intensities you didn’t know existed. But you need to push through. It’s our job as parents to love and support our children. Your daughter may have made a mistake, but God didn’t. A new life is always a blessing. Show up for her daily, remind her of her strength. And when you meet your grandbaby, nothing else will matter—it’s all worth it in the end.
Angelina encourages other teen moms, “Don’t give up! Your child will be the best thing in your life. It’s not easy and yes, it can be hard, but it will always be you and your child in the end.”
Angelina’s story is one of redemption. Her son gave her a new beginning, and with her family’s unwavering support, she has turned a difficult situation into a beautiful life.
