Celebrity Voices Saved From Abortion

Recently, the fans of world-famous Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli in this country have been made aware of his personal story on YouTube. Unlike the dozens of videos of his most popular appearances, in this one, he tells the story of how his voice was almost never heard.

When his young mother was pregnant, she was hospitalized with appendicitis. Because of the treatment she received, her doctors recommended that she abort her baby, as he would likely be born with disabilities. Andrea was born blind but with a voice that has thrilled audiences around the world. When interviewed by the Italian newspaper Il Foglio, he advised them that he may be biased, but he believes it was the right choice for his mother to make.

Other famous voices have spoken up with their own stories. Cher has had a very long and successful career, and Americans, particularly, have enjoyed her voice for decades. Cher says she owes it all to her mother’s change of heart at the very moment she was to get on the abortion table. Cher explained that her mom was young and knew she did not want to be with her father, so she was urged by her own mother to have the abortion. At the very last moment her mom decided that she did not care what happened but could not do this. Now we have generations of young people who have danced to her amazing music.

Then there is the angelic voice of Celine Dion, whose Canadian Catholic mother was pregnant with her 14th child and did not think she could do it. Celine credits the family Catholic priest with convincing her mother not to abort her, and now she says she owes her life to that priest. Celine went on to become famous in Canada and became the best-selling female artist in U.S. history. She is still regularly thrilling audiences in Las Vegas.

Justin Bieber is yet another singer whose 17-year-old single pregnant mom was encouraged by all those around her to abort her baby. Despite her abusive childhood, she refused abortion and went to a home for pregnant girls where she received the support she needed, and Justin was born. His mom was determined to do whatever it took to raise her baby, and Justin started singing at a very young age. The rest is well-known history. His birth story is recounted in the book written by his mom entitled No Where But Up.

These voices came within the breadth of a hair of being destroyed. Would the world be better off without these voices? Or would we miss them?