Despite pressure to abort, she chose life for her son while serving in the U.S. Navy.

Victoria grew up in a small town in South Texas where faith was part of her daily life. The youngest of three girls, she was raised in a close-knit Catholic family that made church a cornerstone of their week. 

She found joy in serving from an early age by helping with retreats, youth ministry and Mass throughout middle school and high school. Surrounded by a community of faith and service, Victoria developed the resilience that would carry her through military life — and later an unplanned pregnancy.

When it came time to plan her future after high school, Victoria chose a route few take — the United States Naval Academy. 

As part of her journey to grow in faith and build community, Victoria and two friends founded a pro-life organization at the Academy. She says they noticed there was no pro-life presence on campus and wanted to raise awareness about abortion. 

Victoria says the group grew to include dozens of students who even traveled to conferences, including one at Yale with Students for Life, where they learned how to better advocate for life on campus.

After graduating, Victoria was commissioned in the U.S. Navy and stationed in San Diego, a transition that was difficult for her. To stay connected to her faith, Victoria became a lay leader — someone trained to lead church services when no priest was available.

Pregnant while serving

In January 2020, Victoria began a relationship that would change everything. 

“It was my first-ever relationship,” she recalls. “He said he was Catholic and led me to believe that he was somebody who he wasn’t. I told myself, ‘If I never give anybody a chance, I’ll never have any experience of what a relationship is like.’” 

Toward the end of that year, Victoria discovered she was pregnant. 

“When I learned I was pregnant, it was very shocking,” Victoria says. “It was so scary.”

Victoria then confirmed her pregnancy at a clinic and, following guidance, shared the news with her peers on the ship.

“Immediately, my whole life got uprooted,” she says. “My parents, when they found out, were very angry. They even tried to tell me to get an abortion, and I was so angry with them for that.”

Despite her parents’ opinions, Victoria knew abortion was never an option. With her pro-life beliefs from early on and what she had learned from starting a pro-life ministry at the Naval Academy, she says she had to choose life.

Victoria says she was removed from the ship and placed in a holding period. She knew the worst-case scenario could be a discharge, and at the time, she had only completed two of the five required years of service. Being discharged would have meant repaying a significant amount of money.

“I was so stressed and worried,” Victoria remembers. “But I knew God was going to give me strength. I knew He was going to give me the ability to overcome anything He put in my way.”

A life-changing medical scare

During her pregnancy, Victoria leaned on an unexpected source of support. She reconnected with an old roommate who introduced her to a woman who had faced a similar experience.

When a frightening medical scare at eight weeks left Victoria terrified she might be miscarrying, she says the same woman helped her once she got out of the hospital.

“It was [this] moment of distress that drew me into [knowing] this baby has life,” Victoria says.

This moment became a turning point, prompting her mother to fly out to support her. 

“I don’t know if it happened for a reason … to mend some situation with my mom or give me the realization that life is so precious,” she says. 

Life after birth

When Victoria went into labor, her old roommate stayed with her at the hospital until her mother arrived, as no other family — including the baby’s father — was there.

“My mom flew in the next day,” Victoria says. “She took care of me and was very attentive and helpful. I couldn’t have done it without her.” 

After giving birth to her son, Max, in June 2021, she focused on balancing work, school and personal life with the support of friends, family and her church community...

Read the entire article at Unplanned Stories.