Donna‘s boyfriend forced himself on her. She hoped nothing would come from such a brutal act. Instead, she got pregnant—at 14 years old. Terrified, she questioned, “What now? This is not what I wanted for my future.”
Donna had been told by almost everyone around her that she wouldn’t succeed if she had the baby. The parents of the father threatened to leave the state if she didn’t get an abortion. The judge overseeing her custody case encouraged her to get an abortion. Her school principal pressured her to terminate the pregnancy. Even people she trusted the most whispered that she would be throwing her life away. But in her heart, even as a teenager, she knew differently.
Donna chose life for her son.
That decision cost Donna dearly. Instructed to drop out of high school, she sacrificed her education so that her son, Sebastian, could have a future. She faced the struggles of single motherhood with gut determination. She worked multiple jobs, babysat up to nine children, and endured nights where she barely ate, just to ensure her son had the opportunities she never did. It was a reality that most cannot comprehend, yet she never regretted it. “A violent act shouldn’t justify another violent act against an innocent life,” she would say, refusing to see her son through the lens of the pain that had brought him into the world.
“A violent act shouldn’t justify another violent act against an innocent life,” she would say, refusing to see her son through the lens of the pain that had brought him into the world.
“My mom never saw me as the rape victim or saw my biological father through me. She saw me as my own person,” Sebastian says. “Most mothers who have an abortion really regret it later in life. That’s a decision you cannot undo.”
Sebastian grew up watching his mother’s unwavering perseverance and faith. She refused to be a statistic, choosing instead to fight for a better life. She scraped together enough to send him to good schools. She encouraged him to join extracurricular activities, even when money was tight. Donna instilled in him a mindset of success through hard work, knowing he could achieve whatever he put his mind to.
“What makes our country special is the fact that it’s not where you start. You can start with nothing and achieve anything,” Sebatian admits.
After graduating from Texas A&M University, Sebastian has accomplished more than anyone imagined. “I serve as president and founder of King and Co. LLC and president and founder of Elevation Strategies. What we do is solve problems in the North Carolina government for our clients. We help find appropriations in state government, and we help take away regulations in government that are impeding businesses,” he explains.
One of Sebastian’s greatest passions is lobbying for organizations that make a tangible difference in the lives of North Carolinians. “I always share with members of the legislature about how we can make state dollars go further where the state gets a return on that investment. And with clients like Human Coalition, we can quadruple every dollar and provide real help for mothers and for children.”
“I think it would be a disservice if I wasn’t an advocate for the pro-life movement,” Sebastian confesses. “I think that’s why God has me at this position right now to show that a child from an unexpected pregnancy can be successful. They can start their own company; they can help make a difference in government. It’s not only the elites in our country that can do that. You can start anywhere. Just work hard, get a good education, and give back to your community.”
The achievements of Sebastian’s work have been remarkable. “My firm’s legislation has secured over $600 million for our clients through state appropriations. So, we feel like we’re very good at what we do because God has blessed us with a tremendous ability to convey what our clients’ needs are to the General Assembly.”
“I chose to work with Human Coalition because of the good work they’re doing across the country for women and babies that have the same story as my mom and me. Human Coalition is dedicated to helping women who are in the most emotional decision they’ll make in their lives, a decision between life and death.”
Sebastian’s years of dedication contributed to Human Coalition receiving state grant funds. In North Carolina alone, significant amounts have been invested in their programs, and the results are undeniable. Women are choosing life, and with the organization’s support, moms and their children are thriving.
“What it really boils down to, specifically for Human Coalition, is we’re providing a strong ecosystem for success. We want to see women be successful, and we want to see children be successful in our country. If that’s the case, then it should be bipartisan support for funding Human Coalition,” Sebastian insists.
“Human Coalition is making a difference because they’ve been providing such a strong ecosystem for why women choose life. It’s one thing to talk about it. It’s another thing to have the results Human Coalition has accomplished—starting with an unexpected pregnancy and taking that crisis call, all the way to the time a child is going through grade school. They’re providing critical support, helping hold the hand for that child and for that mother to make solid, strong, foundational decisions like my mom made for me.”
Thanks to rescuers like you, stories like Sebastian’s and his mom’s are being made possible every day! And their story is proof that the pro-life movement is not only concerned with saving babies from abortion but is committed to surrounding the entire family with a system of support long after birth. You see, when we come together and love the next mom seeking an abortion with the compassion of Christ, it demands long-term support so that each family can thrive. I know you agree that this is what pro-life really means. So, thank you for sharing this love and compassion with more moms and families each day. Together, we will make abortion unthinkable and unnecessary!
