Angel: Navigating Unplanned Pregnancy, Abuse, and Hope

Angel first came to Avail looking to navigate her unexpected pregnancy. She was only 19, and felt stuck in an incredibly difficult relationship with her boyfriend, who was physically and verbally abusive. The very day she decided to break up with him was the day she found out she was pregnant.

She remembers taking the pregnancy test, hoping against hope it would be negative: "Even before I saw the result, even though I didn't want it to be true, I already knew it was. I didn't cry. I didn't feel a lot of emotions. I just felt myself going into a serious, problem-solving mode: What am I going to do?"

Angel felt trapped. She believed she couldn’t leave her boyfriend until she knew what to do about the pregnancy. She didn’t have enough money to buy herself a sandwich, much less raise a child. She couldn’t confide in her parents either: “All I could think about was what my family was going to think about me. I thought they would be so disappointed. They were already disappointed in me for not going to college and not having the kind of job they wanted. I felt like telling them that I was pregnant would be the nail in the coffin of our relationship.”

Overwhelmed by these obstacles, Angel just wanted the situation over with, and she scheduled an abortion appointment. But through Avail’s support, she began to see another path.

She remembers how her Care Expert listened carefully to her story, explained the resources and options available to her, and gently affirmed what she already sensed deep down: she could be a mom.

She recalls the moment clearly: “I realized, even though things felt overwhelming and impossible, if I could just find the right support I could do it. I could be a mom.”

As Angel processed her situation with her Care Expert, she found the courage to tell her family about the abuse she was experiencing and begin setting boundaries. The consistent support she received throughout her pregnancy helped her focus on preparing to become a strong and committed mother.

A couple of years later, Angel reached out to Avail again, this time to participate in the Healthy Relationships program with her new boyfriend, Drake. Together they met with a Care Expert.

Angel shared that she had come to recognize how unhealthy it was to remain connected to her son’s biological father. She made the difficult decision to end communication in order to protect herself and her child.

Drake treats her with respect and has become a steady, positive presence in her son’s life, something Angel once feared he might never have. Now, she and Drake want to continue building on a healthy foundation and work through past experiences of abuse they have both faced.

Together, Angel and Drake attended an Avail gathering where Angel shared her story. As she spoke, Drake stood nearby holding her son, feeding him, rocking him to sleep. It was a picture of growth and stability. A striking contrast to the overwhelmed and uncertain 19-year-old who first walked through Avail’s doors feeling trapped and alone.

Angel’s story didn’t change because her circumstances were easy. It changed because support was available at the exact moment she needed it.

When a 19-year-old walks through our doors today, she may be facing fear, abuse, financial instability, or isolation. The difference is whether someone is there to listen, to offer qualified, compassionate, confidential care, and to walk with her toward stability. Your generosity makes that possible.

Give today to ensure the next young woman who feels trapped has a different ending.