Latest news with #Newkirk
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
A brain dead pregnant Georgia woman is a horror story. It's Republicans' fault.
A horror story is unfolding at an Atlanta hospital right now. Adriana Smith, 30, was nine weeks pregnant when she sought medical treatment after experiencing intense headaches. The hospital didn't run any tests – just gave her medication and sent her home, according to reporting from 11Alive, an NBC affiliate. The next morning, her boyfriend woke up to her making gargling sounds, believed to be caused by internal bleeding. She was rushed to a different hospital, where a CT scan revealed blood clots in her brain. She was later declared brain dead – meaning that, legally, she is no longer living. Even though she will never regain consciousness, Smith's body is being kept alive by machines, all because her pregnancy had progressed three weeks beyond the limit set by Georgia's abortion ban. 'It's torture for me,' her mother, April Newkirk, told 11Alive. 'I see my daughter breathing, but she's not there.' This is the terrifying reality of what Republicans created – for women to be stripped of their dignity, to be seen as nothing more than wombs. The GOP allowed this nightmare to happen because they refused to listen to medical professionals who told them laws like the one in Georgia would create complicated scenarios. Now, one family must live with the pain, as well as the financial burden. Smith has been on life support for more than 90 days now. Her pregnancy has progressed to 21 weeks. When she reaches 32 weeks, doctors will try delivering the baby, meaning that until then, her body is being forced to continue breathing, essentially a vessel for her unborn child. According to Newkirk, it's possible the baby will be born with health complications due to fluid on his brain. 'This decision should've been left to us,' she told 11Alive. 'Now we're left wondering what kind of life he'll have—and we're going to be the ones raising him.' Opinion: It's official: Trump is a historical failure and we're finally admitting it Along with her unborn child, Smith is leaving behind a son. The child has been visiting his mother in the hospital and believes she is sleeping. While Newkirk says she doesn't know whether the family would have chosen to terminate the pregnancy, the option wasn't even given to them because doctors are required to follow the state's six-week abortion ban. If Roe v. Wade were still the law of the land, they would have had a choice. According to lawmakers, Smith is no longer in imminent danger, a situation in which doctors would be allowed to perform an abortion. Imagine that this is your daughter – a mother, a girlfriend, a person, being treated as less than human to protect the fetus growing inside her. Imagine knowing she is dead and not being able to plan a funeral service or even grieve because her body is still breathing. Imagine knowing that welcoming a child into the world will mean your loved one's imminent death. Opinion alerts: Get columns from your favorite columnists + expert analysis on top issues, delivered straight to your device through the USA TODAY app. Don't have the app? Download it for free from your app store. This isn't the first atrocity due to Georgia's abortion ban. Last year, ProPublica reported that two women died from pregnancy and abortion-related issues after the ban went into effect in 2022. Despite these unimaginably bleak stories, Republicans are still rallying against abortion regardless of the dangers it poses to women. Opinion: Congratulations, Republicans! Your fear of pronouns is tanking the economy. This is the new normal that Republicans fought for. Even in the wake of this tragedy, members of the party are refusing to take responsibility for this horrible scenario. 'I think this is an unusual circumstance, but I think it highlights the value of innocent human life,' Georgia Sen. Ed Setzler, one of the sponsors of the six-week abortion ban, told the Associated Press. 'I think the hospital is acting appropriately.' Even though Smith and her boyfriend wanted this child, it's important to note that at nine weeks, her fetus would barely be past the embryo stage and unable to survive on its own. The choice of what happened next shouldn't be left to lawmakers who are unaffected by the hospital bills and emotional pain. It should have been left to the family. This is not about protecting women. It was never about protecting women. Follow USA TODAY columnist Sara Pequeño on X, formerly Twitter, @sara__pequeno You can read diverse opinions from our USA TODAY columnists and other writers on the Opinion front page, on X, formerly Twitter, @usatodayopinion and in our Opinion newsletter. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Georgia woman kept on life support for her baby is a horror | Opinion
The Herald Scotland
26-05-2025
- Health
- The Herald Scotland
Georgia woman kept on life support for her baby is a horror
Even though she will never regain consciousness, Smith's body is being kept alive by machines, all because her pregnancy had progressed three weeks beyond the limit set by Georgia's abortion ban. "It's torture for me," her mother, April Newkirk, told 11Alive. "I see my daughter breathing, but she's not there." This is the terrifying reality of what Republicans created - for women to be stripped of their dignity, to be seen as nothing more than wombs. The GOP allowed this nightmare to happen because they refused to listen to medical professionals who told them laws like the one in Georgia would create complicated scenarios. Now, one family must live with the pain, as well as the financial burden. This Georgia woman is an example of what Republicans want Smith has been on life support for more than 90 days now. Her pregnancy has progressed to 21 weeks. When she reaches 32 weeks, doctors will try delivering the baby, meaning that until then, her body is being forced to continue breathing, essentially a vessel for her unborn child. According to Newkirk, it's possible the baby will be born with health complications due to fluid on his brain. "This decision should've been left to us," she told 11Alive. "Now we're left wondering what kind of life he'll have--and we're going to be the ones raising him." Opinion: It's official: Trump is a historical failure and we're finally admitting it Along with her unborn child, Smith is leaving behind a son. The child has been visiting his mother in the hospital and believes she is sleeping. While Newkirk says she doesn't know whether the family would have chosen to terminate the pregnancy, the option wasn't even given to them because doctors are required to follow the state's six-week abortion ban. If Roe v. Wade were still the law of the land, they would have had a choice. According to lawmakers, Smith is no longer in imminent danger, a situation in which doctors would be allowed to perform an abortion. Imagine that this is your daughter - a mother, a girlfriend, a person, being treated as less than human to protect the fetus growing inside her. Imagine knowing she is dead and not being able to plan a funeral service or even grieve because her body is still breathing. Imagine knowing that welcoming a child into the world will mean your loved one's imminent death. Opinion alerts: Get columns from your favorite columnists + expert analysis on top issues, delivered straight to your device through the USA TODAY app. Don't have the app? Download it for free from your app store. This Georgia case isn't an anomaly. Women have been suffering. This isn't the first atrocity due to Georgia's abortion ban. Last year, ProPublica reported that two women died from pregnancy and abortion-related issues after the ban went into effect in 2022. Despite these unimaginably bleak stories, Republicans are still rallying against abortion regardless of the dangers it poses to women. Opinion: Congratulations, Republicans! Your fear of pronouns is tanking the economy. This is the new normal that Republicans fought for. Even in the wake of this tragedy, members of the party are refusing to take responsibility for this horrible scenario. "I think this is an unusual circumstance, but I think it highlights the value of innocent human life," Georgia Sen. Ed Setzler, one of the sponsors of the six-week abortion ban, told the Associated Press. "I think the hospital is acting appropriately." Even though Smith and her boyfriend wanted this child, it's important to note that at nine weeks, her fetus would barely be past the embryo stage and unable to survive on its own. The choice of what happened next shouldn't be left to lawmakers who are unaffected by the hospital bills and emotional pain. It should have been left to the family. This is not about protecting women. It was never about protecting women. ?Follow USA TODAY columnist Sara Pequeno on X, formerly Twitter, @sara__pequeno
Newsweek
25-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Newsweek
Daughter Gives Mom Gift 'From My Heart'—She Can't Cope When She Sees It
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. An adult woman gave her mother a special gift usually reserved for newborns, and may have started a hilarious new trend. Amanda Newkirk, 38 and from Georgia, has gone viral alongside her mother after she surprised her with a unique gift for Mother's Day. "My mom has always been hard to shop for because, when she wants something, she just buys it for herself," Newkirk told Newsweek. And so, struggling with what to get her mom, Newkirk resorted to Google: "Things to get your mom for Mother's Day." "It mistakenly showed me baby feet ornaments, and I thought, 'Oh that would be funny if I used my 38-year-old foot!'" In a video shared to her TikTok @mandalee86 on May 10, viewed more than 2.2 million times, Newkirk sits at the table with her mother, Sherri, 62, and declares the gift, which should go on Sherri's Christmas tree, is "from my heart." And as Sherri takes the gift from the bag, she immediately bursts out laughing—as Newkirk has handcrafted a large mold of her footprint, something usually done by parents when their child is a newborn. Amanda Newkirk's mother, Sherri, opens her gift to find an imprint of her 38-year-old daughter's foot. Amanda Newkirk's mother, Sherri, opens her gift to find an imprint of her 38-year-old daughter's foot. TikTok @mandalee86 Amid peals of laughter, Sherri tells her daughter, "I don't have one of these"—and then turns the mold around to find an inscription on the back: Amanda, 461 months. And showcasing exactly where Newkirk gets her sense of humor from, Sherri then said: "Not only is she 461 months, I'm still trying to lose the baby weight." In the first six months of their lives, newborns grow around 1 inch a month, according to the Mayo Clinic, and making a print of their feet as a reminder of their size is a common tradition. TikTok users were in stitches, awarding the video more than 312,000 likes, as one commenter followed on the theme: "Fallen arches and plantar fasciitis; forever your baby I'll be." Another debated doing this same gift, but wrote: "I'm a size 12 women's. It's gonna be a dinner plate hanging from the tree." A third posted: "this is gonna be a trend." Sherri shows off the gift, featuring Newkirk's foot on the front, and her age in months on the back. Sherri shows off the gift, featuring Newkirk's foot on the front, and her age in months on the back. TikTok @mandalee86 And as one person wrote: "Please tell your mom she has the BEST laugh. Her laugh made me laugh along, it's so infectious!" Newkirk, who works in nonprofit, said she made the ornament with her stepson, who helped her make the mold and roll out the air clay. Newkirk added she is really close with both her parents, and she knew her licensed clinical social worker mom "would find it hilarious." "My mom and dad are both brilliantly funny," she said. Newkirk said of the gift: "It will absolutely go on the Christmas tree. I am her only baby so she will hang it with pride!" Do you have funny and adorable videos or pictures you want to share? Send them to life@ with some extra details, and they could appear on our website.
Miami Herald
23-05-2025
- Health
- Miami Herald
Groups on either side of abortion divide flock to brain-dead Georgia woman's cause
ATLANTA - A little more than a week ago, Georgia made international news when reports were first shared about a 30-year-old pregnant woman who her family said was being kept on life support to comply with the state's abortion law. Since then, there's been an outpouring of support for Adriana Smith from across the state and country, with vigils being planned and online fundraisers being held in her name. Now the family has clarified they intend to keep her on life support until the baby is born. Smith, a registered nurse and mother of one, was declared brain-dead in February and placed on life support. The day she went to the hospital, her boyfriend found her gasping for air and making gargling sounds in her sleep, according to 11Alive, which first reported the news. April Newkirk, Smith's mother, told the television station that Smith was nine weeks pregnant at the time. Although she is legally dead, Smith has remained on life support since to facilitate the growth of the fetus, which is now about 22 weeks into gestation. Newkirk originally told 11Alive last week that doctors said Smith had to remain on life support because of Georgia's abortion laws. In a second 11Alive interview that aired on Monday, Newkirk clarified that the family only considered terminating the pregnancy if it would have saved Smith's life. Doctors told her it would not, so Smith remained on life support to allow her body to continue to grow the fetus, whom the family has named Chance. Newkirk has declined requests to be interviewed by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. "Right now, the journey is for baby Chance to survive - and whatever condition God allows him to come here in, we're going to love him just the same," she told 11Alive on Monday. Since news of Smith's situation made its way to national and then international news, groups on both sides of the abortion debate have taken steps to raise awareness about Georgia's laws and, in some instances, raise money for the family. Newkirk had expressed concern over the expense of keeping her daughter on life support until at least early August, when doctors plan to perform a cesarean section. It's also unknown if her grandson will be born with any disabilities, so money raised would also be used for his care. This week, Students for Life announced its goal to raise $100,000 for the family to cover medical expenses. Kristan Hawkins, president of the Virginia-based organization, said news of Smith's condition and her family's concern about medical costs gave Students for Life an opportunity to put their "thoughts into action." "It's really important for us as a movement, when these tragedies happen, to show America what it is that the pro-life movement is about, and it's about protecting both the child and the mother from the violence of abortion," Hawkins said. They plan to make a direct donation to the hospital to pay for Smith's care and any care her son may need after birth. Newkirk started her own online fundraiser, which by Thursday had raised $105,000 of its $250,000 goal since it was created a week ago. Abortion rights activists say they are waiting until they can speak with Smith's family to determine how best to help before launching any efforts, such as a fundraiser. In the meantime, SisterSong Women of Color Reproductive Justice Collective, an abortion rights group, plans to build a "Trust Black Women" altar in Smith's honor. Smith had gone to a different hospital the day before, complaining of severe headaches. Newkirk said her daughter was sent home with medication, according to 11Alive. "Today, we speak Adriana Smith's name with reverence and with rage," said Danielle Rodriguez, Georgia program coordinator at SisterSong. "Adriana was a mother, a daughter, a nurse, a Black woman who understood her body and tried to save her own life. Her voice was not enough, her knowledge was not enough, her humanity was not enough." Georgia law bans most abortions after medical professionals can detect fetal cardiac activity, which is typically around six weeks of pregnancy and before many know they are pregnant. Later abortions are allowed in limited cases, such as if there is a fetal abnormality or if the life of the mother is at risk. There also are exceptions in instances of rape or incest when a police report has been filed. For years, abortion rights advocates and providers have said Georgia's law is unclear because much of the language used is not in medical terms. For example, the law says abortions may occur if the mother is experiencing a "medical emergency," but doctors say that's difficult to interpret because there is no bright line between a person being fine and at risk of death. In a statement, hospital representatives said federal privacy laws block them from commenting about individual patients. "Emory Healthcare uses consensus from clinical experts, medical literature, and legal guidance to support our providers as they make individualized treatment recommendations in compliance with Georgia's abortion laws and all other applicable laws," the hospital said in the statement. "Our top priorities continue to be the safety and well-being of the patients we serve." A statement from Attorney General Chris Carr's office said the abortion law does not require Emory Hospital to keep Smith's body alive. "There is nothing in the (abortion law) that requires medical professionals to keep a woman on life support after brain death. Removing life support is not an action with the purpose to terminate a pregnancy," Carr's spokesperson, Kara Murray, said in the statement. Copyright (C) 2025, Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Portions copyrighted by the respective providers.
7NEWS
22-05-2025
- Health
- 7NEWS
Georgia mother says she is being forced to keep brain-dead pregnant daughter alive under abortion ban law
A pregnant woman in Georgia who was declared brain-dead is being kept alive by ventilators because of the state's law banning abortions, the woman's mother says, telling local news that the family has no say in the matter. April Newkirk said her 30-year-old daughter, Adriana Smith, began experiencing intense headaches in early February. Smith was nine weeks pregnant at the time with her second child, NBC affiliate WXIA-TV of Atlanta reported. Smith sought treatment at Northside Hospital but was released and given medication, Newkirk said, claiming the hospital did not run any tests or scans. Northside did not immediately respond to a request for comment. A day after seeking treatment, Smith's boyfriend woke up to find her gasping for air and making gargling noises, Newkirk told WXIA. Smith was rushed to Emory Decatur and then transferred to Emory University Hospital, where a CT scan showed multiple blood clots in her brain, the news station reported. Newkirk said that her daughter was declared brain-dead and has 'been breathing through machines for more than 90 days'. 'It's torture for me,' she said. 'I see my daughter breathing, but she's not there.' Newkirk declined an interview when contacted by NBC News. According to WXIA, the plan is to keep Smith alive until the baby boy can safely survive on his own, most likely at 32 weeks. Republican governor Brian Kemp signed the state's near-total abortion ban, known as the LIFE Act, in 2019, but it didn't take effect until 2022, after it faced a legal challenge and the US Supreme Court reversed Roe v Wade. Under the law, abortions are illegal after six weeks of pregnancy. Exceptions include some situations to protect the woman's life and health, when foetal anomalies are detected, and in cases of rape and incest that have been documented with police. Newkirk told the station that her daughter is currently 21 weeks pregnant. 'It should have been left up to the family,' Newkirk said, telling the station that doctors informed the family they are legally not allowed to consider any other options. 'I'm not saying that we would have chose to terminate her pregnancy, but what I'm saying is, we should have had a choice,' she said. A spokesperson for Emory Healthcare said it 'uses consensus from clinical experts, medical literature, and legal guidance to support our providers as they make individualised treatment recommendations in compliance with Georgia's abortion laws and all other applicable laws'. 'Our top priorities continue to be the safety and wellbeing of the patients we serve,' the spokesperson said. Monica Simpson, executive director of the organisation SisterSong, said the first issue with Smith's case is that she did not receive proper care when she sought help for her headaches. The situation the family is in now raises another issue, the grey area with the state's abortion ban, Simpson said in a phone call Thursday. The ban creates 'this type of uncertainty for medical care providers, it creates this type of uncertainty for folks who are coming up against it,' Simpson said. 'It's not black and white,' she added. 'There's, unfortunately, these grey areas that our elected officials, our state, our governor did not take into consideration when moving this ban into play. What we've seen … is that there are grey areas and that's where the danger comes in.' Newkirk said the family is also having to deal with the financial responsibility of keeping Smith on life support, with a GoFundMe set up to help cover costs.
