1 00:00:04,800 --> 00:00:08,000 Speaker 1: Hi everyone, I'm Kitty Kuric and this is next question. 2 00:00:13,320 --> 00:00:16,680 Speaker 1: As twenty eight year old Ali Phillips tells it, She's 3 00:00:16,800 --> 00:00:20,080 Speaker 1: just a regular working mom to Alleie, her six year 4 00:00:20,120 --> 00:00:23,600 Speaker 1: old daughter. Allie runs a daycare center from her home 5 00:00:23,920 --> 00:00:28,240 Speaker 1: and never considered herself to be a political person. Then 6 00:00:28,360 --> 00:00:33,320 Speaker 1: came Allie's second pregnancy, which involved life threatening complications for 7 00:00:33,440 --> 00:00:38,640 Speaker 1: her and no chance of survival for her baby. As 8 00:00:38,720 --> 00:00:41,720 Speaker 1: Allie was scrambling to secure an abortion in a state 9 00:00:41,920 --> 00:00:46,440 Speaker 1: other than her native Tennessee, where abortions were banned, Miley, 10 00:00:46,760 --> 00:00:50,360 Speaker 1: the name she had given her second daughter, died in utero. 11 00:00:51,440 --> 00:00:55,080 Speaker 1: To say the whole ordeal was traumatic doesn't even begin 12 00:00:55,160 --> 00:00:58,639 Speaker 1: to describe what Ali and her family went through. When 13 00:00:58,680 --> 00:01:02,440 Speaker 1: she returned to Tennessee, Ali met with her state representative, 14 00:01:02,800 --> 00:01:06,000 Speaker 1: who told her that he hadn't thought of situations like 15 00:01:06,080 --> 00:01:11,760 Speaker 1: hers because he thought only first pregnancies could have serious complications. 16 00:01:12,680 --> 00:01:17,200 Speaker 1: She was dumbfounded by his ignorance, so she decided she 17 00:01:17,319 --> 00:01:21,480 Speaker 1: needed to do more. She's running for office, and she's 18 00:01:21,520 --> 00:01:25,480 Speaker 1: suing Tennessee with the help of the Center for Reproductive Rights. 19 00:01:26,560 --> 00:01:31,720 Speaker 1: Ali's story is both harrowing and inspiring, and shows in 20 00:01:31,840 --> 00:01:35,800 Speaker 1: stark terms what happens in many states when a woman 21 00:01:35,920 --> 00:01:42,000 Speaker 1: no longer has access to abortion care. Here's Ali in 22 00:01:42,120 --> 00:01:43,080 Speaker 1: her own words. 23 00:01:44,400 --> 00:01:47,240 Speaker 2: My name is Ali Phillips. I'm twenty eight years old 24 00:01:47,280 --> 00:01:50,360 Speaker 2: and I live in Tennessee. I grew up here in Tennessee. 25 00:01:50,400 --> 00:01:52,360 Speaker 2: I've been here my whole life. We actually grew up 26 00:01:52,360 --> 00:01:55,520 Speaker 2: in a very small town, so everybody knew everybody. You 27 00:01:55,520 --> 00:01:59,320 Speaker 2: couldn't do anything without the neighbor knowing. And growing up, 28 00:01:59,440 --> 00:02:02,080 Speaker 2: we were a lower income family, so we didn't really 29 00:02:02,080 --> 00:02:04,600 Speaker 2: do a lot of traveling or big trips and stuff 30 00:02:04,640 --> 00:02:07,800 Speaker 2: like that. And when I turned sixteen, I got my 31 00:02:07,840 --> 00:02:10,639 Speaker 2: first job at Sonic and from there, I've just had 32 00:02:10,639 --> 00:02:13,480 Speaker 2: a job ever since, and I've just kind of worked 33 00:02:13,520 --> 00:02:16,960 Speaker 2: in food industry. I've worked in retail, just a little 34 00:02:17,000 --> 00:02:20,760 Speaker 2: bit of everything, kind of public work. And then when 35 00:02:20,800 --> 00:02:24,240 Speaker 2: I was twenty, I was in a relationship with somebody 36 00:02:24,400 --> 00:02:27,120 Speaker 2: and found out I was pregnant very early on, and 37 00:02:27,280 --> 00:02:31,240 Speaker 2: that relationship ended shortly after she was born. She was 38 00:02:31,240 --> 00:02:34,120 Speaker 2: two weeks old when we separated, and I was a 39 00:02:34,120 --> 00:02:37,519 Speaker 2: single mom after that, not really getting help from him, 40 00:02:37,840 --> 00:02:40,440 Speaker 2: but my parents helped as much as they could. I 41 00:02:40,680 --> 00:02:44,400 Speaker 2: was going into my last semester of college the time 42 00:02:44,440 --> 00:02:46,200 Speaker 2: she was born. She was born in the middle summer, 43 00:02:46,560 --> 00:02:50,160 Speaker 2: and so I was a full time college student, a 44 00:02:50,200 --> 00:02:53,240 Speaker 2: newly single mom with an infant, and I was working 45 00:02:53,280 --> 00:02:56,400 Speaker 2: three jobs to one make sure my daughter had her 46 00:02:56,680 --> 00:02:59,880 Speaker 2: formula because she had a lot of digestive issues. Had 47 00:03:00,080 --> 00:03:03,000 Speaker 2: by the expense to formula, and I was on wick 48 00:03:03,400 --> 00:03:06,359 Speaker 2: to alleviate some of the costs, but she wouldn't take 49 00:03:06,360 --> 00:03:08,280 Speaker 2: so much formula. I had to buy a lot out 50 00:03:08,320 --> 00:03:10,600 Speaker 2: of pocket. So I was working three jobs to make 51 00:03:10,600 --> 00:03:13,040 Speaker 2: sure I could get through college. My daughter was fed 52 00:03:13,080 --> 00:03:15,440 Speaker 2: and clothed, and that we were just Our bills were 53 00:03:15,480 --> 00:03:17,200 Speaker 2: paid and everything was kind of stable. 54 00:03:18,080 --> 00:03:23,440 Speaker 1: Your husband, Brian Lynch, has been a wonderful stepfather to Adalie, 55 00:03:23,480 --> 00:03:27,440 Speaker 1: which is so great because it sounds as if it 56 00:03:27,520 --> 00:03:30,880 Speaker 1: was quite a struggle for you as a single mom 57 00:03:31,240 --> 00:03:35,520 Speaker 1: with your daughter, and to have rekindled your relationship with 58 00:03:35,560 --> 00:03:39,560 Speaker 1: your now husband, Brian must have been a relief for you, 59 00:03:39,920 --> 00:03:42,600 Speaker 1: not only to have a partner, but also to have 60 00:03:42,680 --> 00:03:44,920 Speaker 1: someone who would be a father to your daughter. 61 00:03:45,400 --> 00:03:49,000 Speaker 2: Absolutely, and he actually grew up with a single mom. 62 00:03:49,200 --> 00:03:52,000 Speaker 2: He's never met his father, and that is something that 63 00:03:52,080 --> 00:03:56,119 Speaker 2: he has devoted his life to Addalie is making sure 64 00:03:56,200 --> 00:03:58,360 Speaker 2: she never knows what it's like to not have a 65 00:03:58,440 --> 00:04:00,840 Speaker 2: dad around, and I think that's a lot about him 66 00:04:00,920 --> 00:04:03,480 Speaker 2: as a man. He doesn't have any biological children of 67 00:04:03,520 --> 00:04:07,240 Speaker 2: his own, so Attalie is his only child, and he 68 00:04:07,360 --> 00:04:10,600 Speaker 2: has taken it with so much grace and so much patience. 69 00:04:10,880 --> 00:04:13,960 Speaker 2: Twenty twenty two was a very interesting year. We got 70 00:04:14,000 --> 00:04:16,599 Speaker 2: married that March, and then we bought the house that 71 00:04:16,600 --> 00:04:19,560 Speaker 2: we're in right now in October, and I found out 72 00:04:19,680 --> 00:04:21,960 Speaker 2: we were pregnant the beginning of November, and so that 73 00:04:22,120 --> 00:04:24,719 Speaker 2: was the timeline we kind of wanted for ourselves, was 74 00:04:25,040 --> 00:04:27,680 Speaker 2: get married, by a house and then try for a 75 00:04:27,720 --> 00:04:30,080 Speaker 2: baby because we wanted to expand our family. He wanted 76 00:04:30,120 --> 00:04:32,920 Speaker 2: a biological child, and so the fact that we bought 77 00:04:32,960 --> 00:04:34,640 Speaker 2: the house and then two weeks later found out I 78 00:04:34,640 --> 00:04:36,599 Speaker 2: was pregnant, it was just like, okay, well, we wasted 79 00:04:36,640 --> 00:04:39,760 Speaker 2: no time at all. So we were really excited and 80 00:04:40,000 --> 00:04:43,920 Speaker 2: we immediately called friends and family, really close friends and family. 81 00:04:43,960 --> 00:04:45,760 Speaker 2: But I told him that I wanted to make sure 82 00:04:46,200 --> 00:04:49,320 Speaker 2: everything was okay with the pregnancy before we told like 83 00:04:49,520 --> 00:04:52,200 Speaker 2: the public, before I posted on Facebook and stuff like that, 84 00:04:52,839 --> 00:04:55,840 Speaker 2: because you know, it's never official unless it's Facebook official, right. 85 00:04:56,320 --> 00:05:00,000 Speaker 2: So we went through the first trimester and everything was fine. 86 00:05:00,120 --> 00:05:04,320 Speaker 2: There was never any reason for concern, and we hit 87 00:05:04,360 --> 00:05:08,159 Speaker 2: that twelve thirteen week mark and everything is again still 88 00:05:08,200 --> 00:05:10,640 Speaker 2: was perfect. So we went ahead and made our public 89 00:05:10,720 --> 00:05:14,240 Speaker 2: posts that we were expecting in July of twenty twenty three, 90 00:05:14,400 --> 00:05:16,840 Speaker 2: and so the love and support that we received from 91 00:05:16,839 --> 00:05:19,960 Speaker 2: friends and family was so phenomenal and it just made 92 00:05:20,000 --> 00:05:23,760 Speaker 2: us that much more excited. And we had already started 93 00:05:23,760 --> 00:05:26,560 Speaker 2: buying things that you need for a newborn. We have 94 00:05:26,839 --> 00:05:32,880 Speaker 2: the crib, we had blankets, swaddles, pacifiers, bottles, diapers, whites, toys, 95 00:05:32,960 --> 00:05:35,520 Speaker 2: everything you can think of we had ready to go 96 00:05:35,720 --> 00:05:39,400 Speaker 2: in the garage. And it was around fifteen weeks. My 97 00:05:39,480 --> 00:05:42,120 Speaker 2: mom actually got me one of those four D ultrasound 98 00:05:42,120 --> 00:05:45,680 Speaker 2: gender reveal little things, and so we went and did that. 99 00:05:46,120 --> 00:05:48,000 Speaker 2: We were hoping for a boy since we already have 100 00:05:48,040 --> 00:05:50,200 Speaker 2: a daughter, but nonetheless we found out we were having 101 00:05:50,279 --> 00:05:53,000 Speaker 2: a girl, and so we were still very excited. I 102 00:05:53,040 --> 00:05:54,640 Speaker 2: told him that he just gets to be a girl 103 00:05:54,720 --> 00:05:56,880 Speaker 2: dad now, and you know, he should be proud of that. 104 00:05:57,040 --> 00:05:59,000 Speaker 2: He'll get his nails painted and bows in his hair. 105 00:05:59,520 --> 00:06:04,240 Speaker 2: And so we started thinking about girl names, and I 106 00:06:04,279 --> 00:06:07,120 Speaker 2: personally don't like the super common names. Like my daughter's 107 00:06:07,160 --> 00:06:10,320 Speaker 2: name is Adalie. I don't know any other Adalie's. So 108 00:06:10,360 --> 00:06:13,800 Speaker 2: I wanted her to have a unique name. And we 109 00:06:13,839 --> 00:06:17,359 Speaker 2: are both big Miley Cyrus fans, and I thought about 110 00:06:17,400 --> 00:06:19,480 Speaker 2: it and I was like, you know what, Miley is 111 00:06:19,520 --> 00:06:23,040 Speaker 2: a household name because of Miley Cyrus, but I personally 112 00:06:23,080 --> 00:06:25,480 Speaker 2: don't really know. I don't know any other Miley's. It's 113 00:06:25,800 --> 00:06:28,240 Speaker 2: a common no name, but I don't know any Miley's. 114 00:06:28,680 --> 00:06:31,200 Speaker 2: And so I started thinking about the name Miley. And 115 00:06:31,240 --> 00:06:34,440 Speaker 2: then her song Flowers had just dropped, and I was like, Okay, 116 00:06:34,480 --> 00:06:37,719 Speaker 2: well let's think about a flower. And so I called 117 00:06:37,760 --> 00:06:39,919 Speaker 2: my husband he was at work, and I was like, 118 00:06:39,920 --> 00:06:42,159 Speaker 2: what do you think of the name Miley Rose? And 119 00:06:42,200 --> 00:06:43,719 Speaker 2: that's how her name came about. 120 00:06:44,320 --> 00:06:47,760 Speaker 1: You all were very excited about this baby girl. 121 00:06:48,240 --> 00:06:51,360 Speaker 2: We were ecstatic. We were My parents were excited because 122 00:06:51,360 --> 00:06:53,480 Speaker 2: they were ready for another grand baby. This was going 123 00:06:53,520 --> 00:06:56,840 Speaker 2: to be his first biological child. And I, growing up, 124 00:06:56,880 --> 00:06:59,040 Speaker 2: I always wanted to have two I always wanted to 125 00:06:59,080 --> 00:07:02,040 Speaker 2: have two babies, to kids, and so I knew that 126 00:07:02,120 --> 00:07:05,080 Speaker 2: this was part of my life's path, was to have 127 00:07:05,160 --> 00:07:07,800 Speaker 2: another child so we were over the moon. We were 128 00:07:07,839 --> 00:07:08,480 Speaker 2: so excited. 129 00:07:08,880 --> 00:07:12,320 Speaker 1: When did you get the news that something was wrong 130 00:07:12,360 --> 00:07:13,080 Speaker 1: with the baby. 131 00:07:13,720 --> 00:07:17,080 Speaker 2: So we went to our nineteen week anatomy scan, and 132 00:07:17,400 --> 00:07:20,000 Speaker 2: we made it a family occasion because we didn't have 133 00:07:20,080 --> 00:07:21,640 Speaker 2: any other reason to think it was going to be 134 00:07:22,080 --> 00:07:25,960 Speaker 2: anything but a normal appointment. And so me, Brian, and 135 00:07:25,960 --> 00:07:29,040 Speaker 2: Attalie all went to the doctor together and it was 136 00:07:29,080 --> 00:07:32,920 Speaker 2: about five minutes into my ultrasound that the technician had 137 00:07:32,960 --> 00:07:35,440 Speaker 2: stopped and told me that she needed to go grab 138 00:07:35,480 --> 00:07:38,760 Speaker 2: my doctor, that she had saw some pretty serious things. 139 00:07:39,000 --> 00:07:41,920 Speaker 2: And her face kind of dropped and my husband looked 140 00:07:41,960 --> 00:07:45,000 Speaker 2: at her and said, why do you look sad? And 141 00:07:45,160 --> 00:07:48,120 Speaker 2: she just, very kind of under her breath, said I 142 00:07:48,240 --> 00:07:50,840 Speaker 2: just don't want to tell anybody bad news, and then 143 00:07:50,880 --> 00:07:54,000 Speaker 2: she walked out of the room. Immediately, I got like 144 00:07:54,040 --> 00:07:56,520 Speaker 2: a knot in my throat, my hands started getting sweaty, 145 00:07:56,640 --> 00:07:59,600 Speaker 2: my heart's beating really fast, and I'm like, oh my god, 146 00:07:59,720 --> 00:08:01,440 Speaker 2: like this is new to me. This is only my 147 00:08:01,480 --> 00:08:06,600 Speaker 2: second pregnancy. My first pregnancy was completely fine, had no issues, 148 00:08:06,880 --> 00:08:09,920 Speaker 2: so I didn't know what to expect. And my ob 149 00:08:10,160 --> 00:08:13,160 Speaker 2: came in so I just looked at your ultrasound images 150 00:08:13,360 --> 00:08:16,679 Speaker 2: and the fetus seems to have no fluid ambiotic fluid 151 00:08:16,680 --> 00:08:19,960 Speaker 2: around her. Also, both of her kidneys seemed to have 152 00:08:20,040 --> 00:08:23,600 Speaker 2: not formed correctly and aren't functioning. And she's measuring about 153 00:08:23,640 --> 00:08:28,080 Speaker 2: fifteen weeks, so about a month behind. So with that, 154 00:08:28,360 --> 00:08:30,480 Speaker 2: they said that there was further testing that they wanted 155 00:08:30,520 --> 00:08:34,000 Speaker 2: to be done. So they referres over to a maternal 156 00:08:34,000 --> 00:08:37,800 Speaker 2: fetal medicine specialist and so we set up that appointment 157 00:08:38,320 --> 00:08:41,240 Speaker 2: four days later. This was on February twentieth last year. 158 00:08:41,760 --> 00:08:45,599 Speaker 2: February twenty fourth was that Friday. We went to Nashville 159 00:08:45,679 --> 00:08:48,320 Speaker 2: for the high risk doctor appointment, just me and Brian 160 00:08:48,360 --> 00:08:52,080 Speaker 2: this time, and we go in start the ultrasound. This 161 00:08:52,200 --> 00:08:56,960 Speaker 2: ultrasound lasted a little bit longer and again the technician 162 00:08:57,080 --> 00:09:00,360 Speaker 2: was like, I need to go grab your doctor, stay 163 00:09:00,440 --> 00:09:03,200 Speaker 2: right here, and so she went and grabbed the doctor. 164 00:09:03,760 --> 00:09:05,600 Speaker 2: And one of the first things she asked me when 165 00:09:05,640 --> 00:09:08,920 Speaker 2: she came in was how was your first pregnancy? And 166 00:09:08,960 --> 00:09:12,520 Speaker 2: I told her completely normal, didn't even have morning sickness. 167 00:09:12,640 --> 00:09:16,360 Speaker 2: Labor and delivery went great, she came out healthy, perfectly fine, 168 00:09:16,920 --> 00:09:19,280 Speaker 2: and she was like, okay, so this is what we're 169 00:09:19,320 --> 00:09:23,800 Speaker 2: looking at. The ultrasound technician put the wand back on 170 00:09:23,840 --> 00:09:26,320 Speaker 2: my lower abdomen, and so as we were looking at 171 00:09:26,320 --> 00:09:29,800 Speaker 2: the TV seeing Miley in my womb, the doctor was 172 00:09:29,800 --> 00:09:32,920 Speaker 2: explaining what we were looking at. She reconfirmed what my 173 00:09:33,000 --> 00:09:36,640 Speaker 2: ob had said and said that there was little to 174 00:09:36,679 --> 00:09:40,440 Speaker 2: no ambiotic fluid around the fetus. She confirmed that both 175 00:09:40,480 --> 00:09:43,640 Speaker 2: of her kidneys did not form correctly, and then she 176 00:09:43,679 --> 00:09:46,680 Speaker 2: did confirm that she was measuring a month behind. But 177 00:09:46,760 --> 00:09:51,120 Speaker 2: then she continued, and she continued to say that her 178 00:09:51,200 --> 00:09:54,679 Speaker 2: bladder and her stomach did not form correctly either and 179 00:09:54,720 --> 00:09:58,280 Speaker 2: were not functioning. She said that they could not find 180 00:09:58,400 --> 00:10:03,040 Speaker 2: lung development, and she said that her heart only had 181 00:10:03,040 --> 00:10:06,560 Speaker 2: two out of four working chambers in it. Now, while 182 00:10:06,600 --> 00:10:09,319 Speaker 2: she was saying all of these things, in my mind, 183 00:10:09,360 --> 00:10:12,280 Speaker 2: I'm going through all of the like okay, well she 184 00:10:12,320 --> 00:10:16,160 Speaker 2: can get a heart transplant. She can live with one kidney, 185 00:10:16,200 --> 00:10:19,320 Speaker 2: so we can get a kidney transplant. You know, we 186 00:10:19,360 --> 00:10:24,560 Speaker 2: can tube feed her, like trying to think of like everything, 187 00:10:24,600 --> 00:10:26,960 Speaker 2: like okay, these things are fixable, like this is okay, 188 00:10:27,000 --> 00:10:31,160 Speaker 2: we can do something. But then she continued up and 189 00:10:31,200 --> 00:10:34,360 Speaker 2: she went to her head and she said, and up here, 190 00:10:34,520 --> 00:10:37,240 Speaker 2: we're looking at her brain. And as soon as she 191 00:10:37,280 --> 00:10:40,160 Speaker 2: said we're looking at her brain. I just felt my 192 00:10:40,360 --> 00:10:44,640 Speaker 2: chest sink because I knew the brain is the engine 193 00:10:45,240 --> 00:10:47,560 Speaker 2: of your body, and if there's something wrong with the brain, 194 00:10:47,720 --> 00:10:52,360 Speaker 2: there's a good possibility it's not good. And so she 195 00:10:52,760 --> 00:10:56,040 Speaker 2: continued to show me on the ultrasound image that there 196 00:10:56,080 --> 00:11:01,440 Speaker 2: is a line between her brain that did not completely complete, 197 00:11:01,520 --> 00:11:04,760 Speaker 2: and she said that her brain didn't split into two 198 00:11:04,840 --> 00:11:07,920 Speaker 2: hemispheres at the early stages of pregnancy, and that is 199 00:11:07,960 --> 00:11:14,800 Speaker 2: diagnosed as semi lobar holoprosencephale and semi lowbar HPE. Only 200 00:11:14,880 --> 00:11:18,079 Speaker 2: three percent of fetuses usually survived to birth with that 201 00:11:18,240 --> 00:11:21,440 Speaker 2: diagnosis slone, and then they usually passed within that first 202 00:11:21,559 --> 00:11:25,680 Speaker 2: year of life. So with the HPE and everything else 203 00:11:25,720 --> 00:11:29,719 Speaker 2: that was wrong, she was deemed incompatible with life, and 204 00:11:29,880 --> 00:11:33,160 Speaker 2: so my doctor had said that she would likely not 205 00:11:33,240 --> 00:11:36,520 Speaker 2: survive outside of the womb and possibly could pass in utero. 206 00:11:37,760 --> 00:11:40,959 Speaker 2: Hearing all that information, it was it was like a 207 00:11:41,080 --> 00:11:44,360 Speaker 2: surreal kind of moment. I felt like I was in 208 00:11:45,559 --> 00:11:48,360 Speaker 2: a haze. I was just kind of waiting for her 209 00:11:48,440 --> 00:11:51,160 Speaker 2: to be like just kidding, like she's totally fine, but 210 00:11:51,320 --> 00:11:53,439 Speaker 2: like it was just kind of one of those it's 211 00:11:53,559 --> 00:11:57,920 Speaker 2: so awful, How can this be true, and so the 212 00:11:58,000 --> 00:12:00,319 Speaker 2: first thing I thought to ask was what are we 213 00:12:00,440 --> 00:12:04,840 Speaker 2: supposed to do? And she said that I had two options. 214 00:12:05,640 --> 00:12:08,400 Speaker 2: She said that I could continue my pregnancy, but if 215 00:12:08,400 --> 00:12:10,920 Speaker 2: I chose to continue my pregnancy, I'd be putting myself 216 00:12:10,960 --> 00:12:13,920 Speaker 2: at risk for a miscarriage is still birth, or if 217 00:12:13,960 --> 00:12:16,719 Speaker 2: she did survive birth, she'd be put into hospice care 218 00:12:16,760 --> 00:12:19,679 Speaker 2: immediately after to pass. And then she said, my other 219 00:12:19,760 --> 00:12:22,880 Speaker 2: option was to terminate. She said, if you chose to 220 00:12:23,000 --> 00:12:26,719 Speaker 2: terminate because of Tennessee's ban, you would have to look 221 00:12:26,760 --> 00:12:29,840 Speaker 2: out of state and I cannot offer you any resources. 222 00:12:29,960 --> 00:12:31,559 Speaker 2: You would have to do that on your own. And 223 00:12:31,640 --> 00:12:33,960 Speaker 2: so my husband chimed in because at this point, I'm 224 00:12:34,160 --> 00:12:39,760 Speaker 2: just stunned. I'm like frozen in place, and he asked 225 00:12:39,800 --> 00:12:42,480 Speaker 2: her how long does she have? Like what are the 226 00:12:42,600 --> 00:12:45,199 Speaker 2: chances if we continue? How long is she going to 227 00:12:45,280 --> 00:12:48,320 Speaker 2: live for? And she said that there's no way to tell, 228 00:12:49,200 --> 00:12:52,640 Speaker 2: but the longer I stayed pregnant, the worse she was 229 00:12:52,720 --> 00:12:55,600 Speaker 2: going to get and the higher risk my health would become. 230 00:12:56,920 --> 00:13:00,599 Speaker 2: Because her growth stunted at fifteen weeks, even though I 231 00:13:00,800 --> 00:13:04,839 Speaker 2: was nineteen weeks, Miley was never going to hit viability. 232 00:13:05,280 --> 00:13:07,599 Speaker 2: So even if I stayed pregnant and I was progressing 233 00:13:07,679 --> 00:13:10,600 Speaker 2: in my pregnancy, she was staying at a fifteen week fetus, 234 00:13:11,440 --> 00:13:14,280 Speaker 2: and so she told us that we didn't have to 235 00:13:14,320 --> 00:13:17,000 Speaker 2: make a decision right then and there, but to call 236 00:13:17,120 --> 00:13:20,120 Speaker 2: her if we had any further questions, and then we left. 237 00:13:21,480 --> 00:13:24,640 Speaker 2: They didn't really tell me specifics of what was going 238 00:13:24,720 --> 00:13:28,440 Speaker 2: to cause me to be at risk. I think because 239 00:13:28,679 --> 00:13:31,679 Speaker 2: she stopped growing at fifteen weeks and had all of 240 00:13:31,760 --> 00:13:36,360 Speaker 2: these fatal anomalies that the longer I stayed pregnant, she 241 00:13:36,480 --> 00:13:39,199 Speaker 2: was essentially just kind of going to kind of deteriorate 242 00:13:39,679 --> 00:13:43,280 Speaker 2: in my uterus, which is going to cause health problems 243 00:13:43,320 --> 00:13:46,559 Speaker 2: for me. With the little to know ambionic fluid, at 244 00:13:46,640 --> 00:13:49,760 Speaker 2: some point, the uterus is going to most likely shrink 245 00:13:49,920 --> 00:13:53,719 Speaker 2: with her, and it could cause infertility to happen. It 246 00:13:53,760 --> 00:13:56,520 Speaker 2: could cause me to lose my uterus, and if her 247 00:13:56,720 --> 00:14:01,000 Speaker 2: body so when organs aren't working, they essentially just kind 248 00:14:01,000 --> 00:14:03,760 Speaker 2: of start decaying, and so that would put me at 249 00:14:03,840 --> 00:14:07,200 Speaker 2: risk for infections and things like that, possibly going septic. 250 00:14:07,720 --> 00:14:12,120 Speaker 2: So they didn't really give me a diagnosis of like, 251 00:14:12,640 --> 00:14:14,719 Speaker 2: if you stayed pregnant, you're going to end up with this. 252 00:14:15,200 --> 00:14:17,920 Speaker 2: She just said, the longer I stay pregnant, the worst 253 00:14:18,000 --> 00:14:20,680 Speaker 2: Miley's going to get, the higher risk my health becomes. 254 00:14:21,800 --> 00:14:25,360 Speaker 2: So we drove home after the appointment. We live in Clarksville, 255 00:14:25,400 --> 00:14:28,400 Speaker 2: so it's about an hour north of Nashville, and it 256 00:14:28,480 --> 00:14:31,120 Speaker 2: was a very quiet drive. We didn't talk to each other. 257 00:14:31,280 --> 00:14:34,840 Speaker 2: We just sat in silence, kind of reliving everything we 258 00:14:34,960 --> 00:14:39,000 Speaker 2: were just told. And my parents drove up from Nashville 259 00:14:39,040 --> 00:14:41,400 Speaker 2: to meet us at home because we had to break 260 00:14:41,440 --> 00:14:43,960 Speaker 2: the news to my then five year old that her 261 00:14:44,000 --> 00:14:48,680 Speaker 2: little sister wasn't coming home. And so we sat and 262 00:14:48,800 --> 00:14:51,640 Speaker 2: we talked to my parents and I talked to my husband, 263 00:14:51,760 --> 00:14:55,920 Speaker 2: and it was a very hard decision to come to 264 00:14:56,360 --> 00:15:01,840 Speaker 2: the route of termination. I kept telling my that I'm 265 00:15:01,920 --> 00:15:04,320 Speaker 2: not in the best health as it is due to 266 00:15:04,640 --> 00:15:07,040 Speaker 2: a recent surgery I had a couple of years ago. 267 00:15:07,640 --> 00:15:12,200 Speaker 2: I struggle with vitamins, hydration, protein, things like that for 268 00:15:12,320 --> 00:15:15,160 Speaker 2: a healthy body. So I knew if I was putting 269 00:15:15,160 --> 00:15:17,560 Speaker 2: my life at risk, it was going to be a 270 00:15:17,800 --> 00:15:23,000 Speaker 2: very challenging situation to go through. And knowing that I 271 00:15:23,120 --> 00:15:26,160 Speaker 2: don't have the healthiest body as it is, I didn't 272 00:15:26,160 --> 00:15:28,280 Speaker 2: want to risk leaving my five year old without a mom. 273 00:15:29,000 --> 00:15:31,720 Speaker 2: I didn't want to risk leaving my husband without his wife. 274 00:15:32,200 --> 00:15:35,600 Speaker 2: I didn't want to risk leaving my parents without their daughter. So, 275 00:15:36,520 --> 00:15:40,960 Speaker 2: knowing that Miley was going to die at some point, 276 00:15:41,120 --> 00:15:44,800 Speaker 2: whether in utero or immediately after birth, it didn't make 277 00:15:44,880 --> 00:15:48,960 Speaker 2: sense to put my life at risk too and cause much, 278 00:15:49,040 --> 00:15:53,040 Speaker 2: so much more damage than needed. So ultimately we decided 279 00:15:53,120 --> 00:15:55,600 Speaker 2: that termination was the best route to preserve my health 280 00:15:55,640 --> 00:15:59,200 Speaker 2: and fertility and to keep my family stable in together. 281 00:16:00,200 --> 00:16:03,360 Speaker 2: I shared my journey on TikTok one because I was 282 00:16:03,400 --> 00:16:06,520 Speaker 2: already on TikTok before all of this happened, and my 283 00:16:06,600 --> 00:16:10,800 Speaker 2: followers knew that I was pregnant, And the week before 284 00:16:11,000 --> 00:16:14,760 Speaker 2: I had posted a video saying my daughter's name is 285 00:16:14,880 --> 00:16:17,760 Speaker 2: hidden in this video, can you guess it? And it 286 00:16:18,000 --> 00:16:22,240 Speaker 2: was me and Adalie dancing around to Miley Cyrus's song Flowers, 287 00:16:22,760 --> 00:16:26,440 Speaker 2: and Adalie was holding a rose. And so my idea 288 00:16:26,840 --> 00:16:28,680 Speaker 2: was I was going to go to my anatomy scan, 289 00:16:29,240 --> 00:16:32,680 Speaker 2: get new ultrasound images, come home, and then make a 290 00:16:32,800 --> 00:16:36,920 Speaker 2: video with the new images stating like this is Miley's name, 291 00:16:37,040 --> 00:16:39,280 Speaker 2: or this is her name Miley Rose, like a lot 292 00:16:39,320 --> 00:16:40,840 Speaker 2: of you guys guess it, and just kind of be 293 00:16:40,960 --> 00:16:46,360 Speaker 2: like a fun reveal. So we got home. That was Friday. 294 00:16:46,520 --> 00:16:49,160 Speaker 2: It wasn't until Saturday when I made that follow up 295 00:16:49,240 --> 00:16:54,840 Speaker 2: video of Miley's diagnoses, because after my parents left that day, 296 00:16:55,600 --> 00:16:58,840 Speaker 2: I cried myself to sleep. I didn't want to be awake. 297 00:16:59,000 --> 00:17:02,200 Speaker 2: I just wanted everything to be a nightmare and hoped 298 00:17:02,280 --> 00:17:04,800 Speaker 2: that I woke up and everything was going to be okay. 299 00:17:05,359 --> 00:17:07,480 Speaker 2: So I went to sleep, and so the next day 300 00:17:07,640 --> 00:17:11,359 Speaker 2: is when I followed up and made the video, because 301 00:17:11,880 --> 00:17:15,360 Speaker 2: that Monday, I posted video saying my doctor said there's 302 00:17:15,400 --> 00:17:17,760 Speaker 2: something's wrong, so we're going to see a high risk doctor. 303 00:17:18,119 --> 00:17:21,000 Speaker 2: So a lot of my followers were like, keep us posted, 304 00:17:21,160 --> 00:17:24,280 Speaker 2: what's the update, hope everything's okay, let us know what's 305 00:17:24,320 --> 00:17:27,240 Speaker 2: going on, and so I wanted to update them. And 306 00:17:27,720 --> 00:17:32,680 Speaker 2: I'm very transparent on my account. I don't really sugarcoat things. 307 00:17:33,240 --> 00:17:38,600 Speaker 2: I'm very upfront, and so when I made that video, 308 00:17:38,880 --> 00:17:42,040 Speaker 2: I didn't expect it to go viral. I didn't expect 309 00:17:42,480 --> 00:17:45,480 Speaker 2: to get any sort of news media requests from it. 310 00:17:45,600 --> 00:17:47,800 Speaker 2: I just wanted to update my followers on what was 311 00:17:47,880 --> 00:17:52,480 Speaker 2: going on. Also, I was paying very close attention to 312 00:17:52,640 --> 00:17:54,800 Speaker 2: Roe v Wade being overturned, and I was very vocal 313 00:17:55,440 --> 00:17:59,120 Speaker 2: on my account about how I felt about Tennessee's trigger band, 314 00:18:00,080 --> 00:18:03,560 Speaker 2: and so, knowing that I was fighting for abortion access, 315 00:18:03,920 --> 00:18:06,520 Speaker 2: never knowing I was going to need one myself, I 316 00:18:06,600 --> 00:18:09,119 Speaker 2: thought it was extra important that I pointed out the 317 00:18:09,240 --> 00:18:12,200 Speaker 2: fact that this is a non viable pregnancy and I 318 00:18:12,320 --> 00:18:16,080 Speaker 2: have to flee my state. And I wanted that reality 319 00:18:16,480 --> 00:18:20,040 Speaker 2: to be documented because so many women don't talk about 320 00:18:20,119 --> 00:18:23,119 Speaker 2: things like this because they're made to feel ashamed or 321 00:18:23,480 --> 00:18:27,159 Speaker 2: disgusted or whatever it is society makes us feel about abortions. 322 00:18:27,520 --> 00:18:30,040 Speaker 2: I wanted to make sure that one my emotions were 323 00:18:30,160 --> 00:18:32,520 Speaker 2: documented and to show how real and raw it is. 324 00:18:33,200 --> 00:18:35,760 Speaker 2: So I made that video, and I think that's my 325 00:18:35,880 --> 00:18:38,960 Speaker 2: most viewed video as far as my pregnancy journey goes, 326 00:18:39,640 --> 00:18:43,560 Speaker 2: and it went viral. It actually went international, and so 327 00:18:43,680 --> 00:18:46,639 Speaker 2: I started getting media requests to talk about it, and 328 00:18:46,720 --> 00:18:50,160 Speaker 2: then that amplified the story, and then I started showing 329 00:18:50,280 --> 00:18:53,240 Speaker 2: up in the news and news articles and people were 330 00:18:53,280 --> 00:18:55,960 Speaker 2: seeing like, oh my god, this woman has to leave 331 00:18:56,000 --> 00:18:59,000 Speaker 2: her state for pregnancy that's threatening her life, a non 332 00:18:59,119 --> 00:19:03,359 Speaker 2: viable pregnancy, and so throughout the process, I wanted to 333 00:19:03,440 --> 00:19:07,200 Speaker 2: make sure I documented every single moment of it. Good 334 00:19:07,240 --> 00:19:11,680 Speaker 2: and bad. And I did that because when you read 335 00:19:11,720 --> 00:19:16,360 Speaker 2: an article, you read very minimal details, you just kind 336 00:19:16,400 --> 00:19:20,240 Speaker 2: of get the overview of what happened. But me kind 337 00:19:20,280 --> 00:19:23,639 Speaker 2: of logging what was happening to me made it so 338 00:19:23,800 --> 00:19:26,199 Speaker 2: much more real for people to see the raw emotion 339 00:19:26,359 --> 00:19:28,880 Speaker 2: that I was going through. One of the videos being 340 00:19:28,960 --> 00:19:31,880 Speaker 2: me in New York City crying in a corner by myself. 341 00:19:32,600 --> 00:19:35,440 Speaker 2: That was a video of the most raw emotion I 342 00:19:35,520 --> 00:19:39,160 Speaker 2: think I've ever posted online. And a lot of people 343 00:19:39,240 --> 00:19:41,639 Speaker 2: ask me why I'm putting that on the internet, and 344 00:19:41,720 --> 00:19:43,399 Speaker 2: I said, because it needs to be on the internet, 345 00:19:43,520 --> 00:19:47,000 Speaker 2: because people need to see what women are going through 346 00:19:47,200 --> 00:19:49,920 Speaker 2: that live in these states that have completely taken away 347 00:19:49,960 --> 00:19:52,960 Speaker 2: our right to abortion care or just healthcare like that 348 00:19:53,119 --> 00:19:56,240 Speaker 2: in general. So I documented it for the sole purpose 349 00:19:56,359 --> 00:20:01,200 Speaker 2: of humanizing the situation, so it's not just black and 350 00:20:01,320 --> 00:20:05,359 Speaker 2: white words on a screen, it's a face and a person. 351 00:20:09,080 --> 00:20:11,800 Speaker 1: After this break, Alie takes us through her journey to 352 00:20:11,920 --> 00:20:15,040 Speaker 1: New York City to give the medical care she couldn't 353 00:20:15,080 --> 00:20:22,480 Speaker 1: get in Tennessee. If you want to get smarter, every 354 00:20:22,600 --> 00:20:25,639 Speaker 1: morning with a breakdown of the news and fascinating takes 355 00:20:25,680 --> 00:20:28,800 Speaker 1: on health and wellness and pop Culture. Sign up for 356 00:20:28,840 --> 00:20:32,000 Speaker 1: our daily newsletter Wake Up Call by going to Katiecouric 357 00:20:32,080 --> 00:20:45,160 Speaker 1: dot com. You had to go out of state because 358 00:20:45,240 --> 00:20:49,480 Speaker 1: of Tennessee's restrictions. How did you decide to go to 359 00:20:49,560 --> 00:20:52,440 Speaker 1: New York? How did you determine where you were going 360 00:20:52,560 --> 00:20:56,840 Speaker 1: to get your abortion? And quite frankly, Ali paid for it. 361 00:20:57,320 --> 00:21:00,280 Speaker 2: It wasn't an easy process, I'll tell you that. So 362 00:21:00,440 --> 00:21:03,600 Speaker 2: my high risk appointment was on that Friday. That following Monday, 363 00:21:04,080 --> 00:21:05,879 Speaker 2: my mom and I took the day off work to 364 00:21:05,960 --> 00:21:10,320 Speaker 2: start calling clinics in different states, clinics that allowed abortions. Now, 365 00:21:10,880 --> 00:21:13,600 Speaker 2: when we talk about states that allow abortions, we have 366 00:21:13,760 --> 00:21:16,280 Speaker 2: to remember that not every single one of them is 367 00:21:16,359 --> 00:21:20,720 Speaker 2: the same. Some states allow abortions up to fifteen weeks, 368 00:21:20,840 --> 00:21:23,480 Speaker 2: some states allow it up to twenty weeks or viability. 369 00:21:23,920 --> 00:21:27,280 Speaker 2: Some offer medical exceptions, some don't. So you have to 370 00:21:27,440 --> 00:21:30,960 Speaker 2: call these individual states and individual clinics and truly ask 371 00:21:31,040 --> 00:21:34,480 Speaker 2: them the question, like when is your cutoff? And some 372 00:21:34,600 --> 00:21:36,560 Speaker 2: of the states I are. Some of the clinics I called, 373 00:21:37,000 --> 00:21:40,760 Speaker 2: their cutoff was eighteen weeks or fifteen weeks or twenty weeks. 374 00:21:40,920 --> 00:21:43,280 Speaker 2: And at that point I was going into my twentieth week, 375 00:21:43,880 --> 00:21:46,480 Speaker 2: and I knew that I needed to go the following 376 00:21:46,520 --> 00:21:48,720 Speaker 2: week because I had to give my daycare moms enough 377 00:21:48,800 --> 00:21:51,520 Speaker 2: notice to find backup care for their kiddos, so I 378 00:21:51,680 --> 00:21:54,040 Speaker 2: wasn't able to do it that week, also for the 379 00:21:54,080 --> 00:21:58,440 Speaker 2: simple fact of the cost. So we called five different 380 00:21:58,480 --> 00:22:01,040 Speaker 2: states and I ended up calling the New York abortion 381 00:22:01,280 --> 00:22:04,920 Speaker 2: line and gave them the information that they asked for, 382 00:22:05,160 --> 00:22:08,000 Speaker 2: and they connected me to a clinic in Manhattan. Now, 383 00:22:08,160 --> 00:22:11,640 Speaker 2: another problem that women like me are facing is when 384 00:22:11,760 --> 00:22:15,000 Speaker 2: calling these clinics and trying to get an appointment, there's 385 00:22:15,119 --> 00:22:17,800 Speaker 2: a long wait list because not only are they seeing 386 00:22:17,920 --> 00:22:20,360 Speaker 2: patients from in state, they're seeing an influx of out 387 00:22:20,400 --> 00:22:24,640 Speaker 2: of state patients as well. And not knowing how long 388 00:22:24,760 --> 00:22:28,560 Speaker 2: I had before something bad happened with my pregnancy, I 389 00:22:28,640 --> 00:22:31,880 Speaker 2: couldn't wait two weeks, three weeks, a month or two 390 00:22:32,160 --> 00:22:35,280 Speaker 2: before I could get in for the procedure because my 391 00:22:35,400 --> 00:22:38,880 Speaker 2: doctor couldn't tell me what longer meant. An hour, a month, 392 00:22:39,000 --> 00:22:41,200 Speaker 2: we don't know, and so I was kind of just 393 00:22:41,280 --> 00:22:44,320 Speaker 2: playing a guessing game every day with my life, not 394 00:22:44,480 --> 00:22:47,399 Speaker 2: knowing women things were going to get bad. So I 395 00:22:47,480 --> 00:22:51,040 Speaker 2: got a hold of this clinic in Manhattan, and one 396 00:22:51,080 --> 00:22:52,959 Speaker 2: of the things I wanted to make sure the clinic 397 00:22:53,440 --> 00:22:58,119 Speaker 2: was accommodating for was one I wanted to do the 398 00:22:58,160 --> 00:23:00,760 Speaker 2: surgical procedure. I didn't want to do it induced labor. 399 00:23:01,960 --> 00:23:04,000 Speaker 2: I love Miley to death, but I didn't want to 400 00:23:04,040 --> 00:23:06,240 Speaker 2: see her in that way. I didn't want to see 401 00:23:06,280 --> 00:23:11,280 Speaker 2: her deceased. And then the other thing was being able 402 00:23:11,400 --> 00:23:16,240 Speaker 2: to have that coordination with a funeral home to obtain 403 00:23:16,320 --> 00:23:18,280 Speaker 2: her remains to get her cremated so I could bring 404 00:23:18,359 --> 00:23:21,440 Speaker 2: her home. Some clinics do not work with funeral homes. 405 00:23:21,800 --> 00:23:23,359 Speaker 2: So there were a few things that I wanted to 406 00:23:23,359 --> 00:23:26,080 Speaker 2: make sure we're done, and this clinic was very helpful 407 00:23:26,280 --> 00:23:29,760 Speaker 2: and they checked every box I needed. Midtermber abortions are 408 00:23:29,920 --> 00:23:32,240 Speaker 2: a two day procedure. The first day is a lot 409 00:23:32,280 --> 00:23:34,560 Speaker 2: of pre op stuff and the second day is the 410 00:23:34,640 --> 00:23:40,760 Speaker 2: actual surgery. And once we confirmed everything was good, they 411 00:23:40,800 --> 00:23:42,960 Speaker 2: told me how much it was going to be. And 412 00:23:43,880 --> 00:23:47,080 Speaker 2: at twenty weeks, I was looking at around one thy 413 00:23:47,200 --> 00:23:51,200 Speaker 2: to eleven hundred, and then at twenty one weeks, I 414 00:23:51,280 --> 00:23:54,560 Speaker 2: was looking closer to two thousand dollars, and so it 415 00:23:54,880 --> 00:23:58,119 Speaker 2: jumps a grand based off of a week, and so 416 00:23:58,200 --> 00:24:02,480 Speaker 2: I was like, OKAYT let's just confirm this day and 417 00:24:03,080 --> 00:24:06,359 Speaker 2: me and my husband will figure it out. So the 418 00:24:06,480 --> 00:24:09,600 Speaker 2: thousand to eleven hundred dollars for the procedure was already 419 00:24:09,600 --> 00:24:12,360 Speaker 2: a lot for a low income family, and then we're 420 00:24:12,400 --> 00:24:15,640 Speaker 2: looking at a three day stay in Manhattan that's also 421 00:24:15,720 --> 00:24:19,280 Speaker 2: a lot of money, and also round trip from Nashville 422 00:24:19,320 --> 00:24:24,000 Speaker 2: to LaGuardia for two people, and then taxis, ubers, food, 423 00:24:24,119 --> 00:24:26,719 Speaker 2: whatever you know. It added up. It ended up being 424 00:24:26,760 --> 00:24:30,840 Speaker 2: close to five thousand dollars, which we don't have anything 425 00:24:30,880 --> 00:24:33,280 Speaker 2: in savings. We don't even have five thousand dollars in 426 00:24:33,359 --> 00:24:37,000 Speaker 2: our account, so trying to pay for that was impossible 427 00:24:37,080 --> 00:24:41,240 Speaker 2: for us. We started looking into taking out loans. We 428 00:24:41,680 --> 00:24:45,200 Speaker 2: reached out to family, but our families aren't independently wealthy, 429 00:24:45,320 --> 00:24:47,080 Speaker 2: so you know, they could only help with a little bit. 430 00:24:47,760 --> 00:24:50,280 Speaker 2: And I shared that online how much show was going 431 00:24:50,320 --> 00:24:52,320 Speaker 2: to cost, and some of my followers had suggested I 432 00:24:52,359 --> 00:24:55,560 Speaker 2: started to go fundme. And at first I didn't want 433 00:24:55,560 --> 00:24:58,080 Speaker 2: to start to go fund me because it wasn't anybody 434 00:24:58,119 --> 00:25:01,000 Speaker 2: else's problem but mine. I want people to think I 435 00:25:01,119 --> 00:25:05,280 Speaker 2: was being just taking money from people from my situation. 436 00:25:05,880 --> 00:25:08,320 Speaker 2: But it got to the point that I was like 437 00:25:08,520 --> 00:25:10,480 Speaker 2: if I don't get to New York, I don't know 438 00:25:10,560 --> 00:25:13,200 Speaker 2: what's going to happen to me. And so I bit 439 00:25:13,280 --> 00:25:16,080 Speaker 2: the bullet and I started to gofund me and I 440 00:25:16,200 --> 00:25:19,440 Speaker 2: shared it online and my followers matched the goal the 441 00:25:19,520 --> 00:25:22,919 Speaker 2: same day even exceeded the goal, and so we were 442 00:25:23,000 --> 00:25:25,920 Speaker 2: able to book our round trip airfare. We were able 443 00:25:26,040 --> 00:25:30,640 Speaker 2: to pay for the abortion, and everything was covered. All 444 00:25:30,760 --> 00:25:33,240 Speaker 2: costs were covered, and I was able. We were both 445 00:25:33,280 --> 00:25:35,720 Speaker 2: able to take that week off of work. That's another 446 00:25:35,840 --> 00:25:38,240 Speaker 2: thing is we both had to take that week off 447 00:25:38,320 --> 00:25:41,480 Speaker 2: of work, which is two weeks technically of a paycheck 448 00:25:41,640 --> 00:25:46,080 Speaker 2: being cut from us. So the cost is very damaging 449 00:25:46,400 --> 00:25:49,040 Speaker 2: for low income families. And that is something I've talked 450 00:25:49,080 --> 00:25:52,280 Speaker 2: about with these abortion bands, is these affect low income 451 00:25:52,359 --> 00:25:54,480 Speaker 2: families because if you're wealthy enough, you can just go 452 00:25:54,600 --> 00:25:56,119 Speaker 2: out of state and it's not going to hurt your 453 00:25:56,160 --> 00:26:00,040 Speaker 2: bank account. But for us, it's a big ask. My 454 00:26:00,160 --> 00:26:02,520 Speaker 2: husband flew to New York together, Ada Lee stayed with 455 00:26:02,600 --> 00:26:06,400 Speaker 2: my parents in Nashville, and we got to New York 456 00:26:06,480 --> 00:26:10,160 Speaker 2: City on that Monday in March seventh was my appointment. 457 00:26:11,200 --> 00:26:13,600 Speaker 2: I had to go to that appointment alone because a 458 00:26:13,640 --> 00:26:17,040 Speaker 2: lot of abortion clinics are patient only, one for privacy 459 00:26:17,160 --> 00:26:19,240 Speaker 2: and two to just kind of keep the traffic inside 460 00:26:19,280 --> 00:26:21,680 Speaker 2: the clinic down. So I had to leave my husband 461 00:26:21,720 --> 00:26:24,399 Speaker 2: behind at the apartment we were at, and then I 462 00:26:24,480 --> 00:26:26,919 Speaker 2: went to the clinic. I was told i'd be there 463 00:26:27,000 --> 00:26:29,159 Speaker 2: for about five or six hours that day, so to 464 00:26:29,240 --> 00:26:31,720 Speaker 2: plan for a long day, and so I started the 465 00:26:31,800 --> 00:26:36,040 Speaker 2: day doing blood work, just random things that you need 466 00:26:36,080 --> 00:26:38,040 Speaker 2: to do if you're going to be going under anesthesia. 467 00:26:38,840 --> 00:26:40,680 Speaker 2: And I was there for a couple hours when I 468 00:26:40,760 --> 00:26:43,960 Speaker 2: was called back to do my sonogram. They do the 469 00:26:44,119 --> 00:26:48,560 Speaker 2: sonogram before the abortion to make sure they're charging the 470 00:26:48,640 --> 00:26:51,440 Speaker 2: correct amount for the feet of size, and because I 471 00:26:51,560 --> 00:26:53,960 Speaker 2: was twenty weeks but she was measuring it fifteen weeks, 472 00:26:54,000 --> 00:26:56,320 Speaker 2: they just wanted to make sure they were charging me correctly. 473 00:26:57,880 --> 00:27:01,600 Speaker 2: And so I went in and we started the ultrasound. 474 00:27:01,760 --> 00:27:05,320 Speaker 2: And the difference between this ultrasound and the ones before 475 00:27:06,280 --> 00:27:08,879 Speaker 2: is ultrasounds before you have the technician next to you 476 00:27:09,000 --> 00:27:11,159 Speaker 2: and the sonogram machine, but then there's a TV in 477 00:27:11,240 --> 00:27:13,920 Speaker 2: front of you so you can see what the technician 478 00:27:14,040 --> 00:27:17,680 Speaker 2: is seeing. In this room, there was no TV. I 479 00:27:17,840 --> 00:27:20,800 Speaker 2: was just facing a brick wall, and for a moment, 480 00:27:20,880 --> 00:27:22,680 Speaker 2: I was like, why is there not a TV in here? 481 00:27:22,800 --> 00:27:25,440 Speaker 2: Because I was looking forward to seeing Miley again one 482 00:27:25,520 --> 00:27:28,560 Speaker 2: last time. But then it kind of clicked in my 483 00:27:28,680 --> 00:27:31,520 Speaker 2: head that some women may not want to see and 484 00:27:31,920 --> 00:27:35,480 Speaker 2: I understood, and so I lay there and I just 485 00:27:35,520 --> 00:27:38,240 Speaker 2: stare at the ceiling and she starts the ultrasound and 486 00:27:38,480 --> 00:27:42,200 Speaker 2: she quickly asks me when my last ultrasound was. I 487 00:27:42,359 --> 00:27:44,600 Speaker 2: told her it was about a week and three days prior, 488 00:27:45,600 --> 00:27:48,520 Speaker 2: and she was like, okay, and there was a heartbeat then, 489 00:27:49,440 --> 00:27:51,560 Speaker 2: and I said, yeah, there was a heartbeat. I went 490 00:27:51,600 --> 00:27:54,119 Speaker 2: and got it saved in a little bunny and she 491 00:27:54,280 --> 00:27:57,680 Speaker 2: was like, oh, okay, and then she was just quiet 492 00:27:58,440 --> 00:28:00,960 Speaker 2: and I looked at her. I was like, is there 493 00:28:01,520 --> 00:28:04,840 Speaker 2: not a heartbeat? And she said, no, ma'am, there's not. 494 00:28:07,200 --> 00:28:09,879 Speaker 2: And so I sat up and I looked at her 495 00:28:09,960 --> 00:28:13,960 Speaker 2: screen while she still had the wand on my stomach, 496 00:28:14,040 --> 00:28:17,920 Speaker 2: and I said, why she's not moving and she goes, no, ma'am, 497 00:28:18,000 --> 00:28:21,720 Speaker 2: she's not. And then I just it immediately hit me 498 00:28:22,359 --> 00:28:25,960 Speaker 2: and I just cried, and I cried out loud like 499 00:28:26,080 --> 00:28:28,320 Speaker 2: a mom does when she finds out that her she 500 00:28:28,520 --> 00:28:35,160 Speaker 2: just lost her child. I'm sorry, And this technician helped 501 00:28:35,240 --> 00:28:40,040 Speaker 2: me and she cried with me, and she told me, 502 00:28:40,160 --> 00:28:42,280 Speaker 2: in all the years that she's worked there, she's never 503 00:28:42,400 --> 00:28:47,120 Speaker 2: had a telewoman that her baby was already gone. And 504 00:28:47,240 --> 00:28:48,840 Speaker 2: so she looked at me and she said, I need 505 00:28:48,880 --> 00:28:51,040 Speaker 2: to go get the doctor and tell him what I found, 506 00:28:51,720 --> 00:28:53,760 Speaker 2: if you don't mind just going back to the waiting 507 00:28:53,840 --> 00:28:56,920 Speaker 2: room for a moment. So instead of going into the 508 00:28:56,960 --> 00:28:59,920 Speaker 2: waiting room, I walked out of the clinic. The clinic 509 00:29:00,160 --> 00:29:04,000 Speaker 2: was an on a sixth floor of a skyscraper, and 510 00:29:04,080 --> 00:29:06,360 Speaker 2: I walked out of the clinic into the hallway where 511 00:29:07,680 --> 00:29:10,920 Speaker 2: the elevators are, and I sat down in a corner 512 00:29:11,960 --> 00:29:15,360 Speaker 2: of that hallway and I called my husband and I 513 00:29:15,440 --> 00:29:17,520 Speaker 2: had to tell my husband over the phone that his 514 00:29:17,720 --> 00:29:23,760 Speaker 2: daughter was gone. And at the time I didn't really 515 00:29:23,840 --> 00:29:27,680 Speaker 2: think about this, but afterwards I realized that yes, I 516 00:29:27,880 --> 00:29:30,480 Speaker 2: was alone in that clinic, but I was surrounded by 517 00:29:30,640 --> 00:29:34,920 Speaker 2: nurses and doctors that were able to comfort me. My 518 00:29:35,120 --> 00:29:39,160 Speaker 2: husband was completely and utterly alone in that room at 519 00:29:39,200 --> 00:29:42,440 Speaker 2: the apartment we were at. And so I told him 520 00:29:42,480 --> 00:29:45,720 Speaker 2: that she was gone, and I heard his voice crack 521 00:29:45,800 --> 00:29:48,440 Speaker 2: and tell me that he would he would talk to 522 00:29:48,560 --> 00:29:50,800 Speaker 2: me later, that he needed to go, and so he 523 00:29:50,920 --> 00:29:55,400 Speaker 2: hung up the phone, and I called my mom because 524 00:29:55,440 --> 00:29:59,120 Speaker 2: my mom was waiting for updates, and I told her 525 00:29:59,160 --> 00:30:04,320 Speaker 2: what happened, and she said to me, Honey, I am 526 00:30:04,400 --> 00:30:07,480 Speaker 2: so sorry, but I think this is the best gift 527 00:30:07,600 --> 00:30:10,440 Speaker 2: Miley could have given you, because you went to New 528 00:30:10,520 --> 00:30:13,400 Speaker 2: York with so much doubt and so much guilt about 529 00:30:13,440 --> 00:30:17,240 Speaker 2: the decision you were making, that she took all of 530 00:30:17,320 --> 00:30:20,320 Speaker 2: that away from you. Because I did go to New 531 00:30:20,400 --> 00:30:23,320 Speaker 2: York with guilt, because I let people online get in 532 00:30:23,440 --> 00:30:26,440 Speaker 2: my head saying doctors are wrong all the time, that 533 00:30:26,840 --> 00:30:30,320 Speaker 2: their pregnancy was deemed incompatible, but their babies tend now 534 00:30:30,400 --> 00:30:33,120 Speaker 2: and doing great, and I just got in my head, like, 535 00:30:33,200 --> 00:30:35,240 Speaker 2: what if my doctor's wrong? What if I'm making the 536 00:30:35,320 --> 00:30:39,000 Speaker 2: wrong decision here? What if I'm prematurely ending her life 537 00:30:39,080 --> 00:30:44,120 Speaker 2: when she could be okay? And so my mom said 538 00:30:44,160 --> 00:30:46,000 Speaker 2: that she took all of that away from me, and 539 00:30:46,080 --> 00:30:49,959 Speaker 2: she went on her own. And it still sucked at 540 00:30:50,000 --> 00:30:52,480 Speaker 2: the time, but now I'm grateful that that happened because 541 00:30:52,520 --> 00:30:55,040 Speaker 2: I don't have to live with that guilt anymore. My 542 00:30:55,120 --> 00:30:59,640 Speaker 2: doctors were right, she wasn't compatible, and she showed us that. 543 00:31:01,120 --> 00:31:03,960 Speaker 2: So within the next light ten to fifteen minutes, I 544 00:31:04,080 --> 00:31:07,720 Speaker 2: was called back. I was called back to speak to 545 00:31:07,800 --> 00:31:10,960 Speaker 2: the doctor, and the first thing he said to me was, 546 00:31:11,080 --> 00:31:12,880 Speaker 2: I don't want you to blame yourself. I know you're 547 00:31:12,920 --> 00:31:16,160 Speaker 2: blaming yourself right now, but please know there was nothing 548 00:31:16,760 --> 00:31:20,720 Speaker 2: you could have done differently to change this outcome. But 549 00:31:20,840 --> 00:31:24,280 Speaker 2: then he continued to say, because my last confirmed fetal 550 00:31:24,360 --> 00:31:28,320 Speaker 2: heartbeat was almost two weeks ago, there's a two week 551 00:31:28,400 --> 00:31:30,960 Speaker 2: window when a fetus dies that when your body doesn't 552 00:31:31,000 --> 00:31:34,040 Speaker 2: recognize it, you're now at risk for blood cloths, infections, 553 00:31:34,120 --> 00:31:37,239 Speaker 2: and going septic. And since they can't confirm when her 554 00:31:37,280 --> 00:31:39,760 Speaker 2: heart actually stopped, they have to go off the last 555 00:31:39,800 --> 00:31:45,240 Speaker 2: fetal heart beat. And so he said that because of 556 00:31:45,360 --> 00:31:48,000 Speaker 2: that risk, I was now at a higher risk because 557 00:31:48,000 --> 00:31:51,040 Speaker 2: I was closer to that two weeks that they wanted 558 00:31:51,080 --> 00:31:53,880 Speaker 2: to push my abortion that same day instead of the 559 00:31:53,960 --> 00:31:57,680 Speaker 2: next day. So he did a pelvic exam, a quick 560 00:31:57,760 --> 00:32:00,480 Speaker 2: pelvic exam to feel my cervix, and he said that 561 00:32:00,520 --> 00:32:03,440 Speaker 2: my servix is very hard. Normally, they give you a 562 00:32:03,520 --> 00:32:06,240 Speaker 2: cervix softener to go home with and take the night before, 563 00:32:07,360 --> 00:32:09,840 Speaker 2: and he said that due to my cervix being so hard, 564 00:32:10,080 --> 00:32:12,680 Speaker 2: they're going to try, but they may not be able 565 00:32:12,720 --> 00:32:15,200 Speaker 2: to get through my cervix today and if that's the case, 566 00:32:15,240 --> 00:32:18,200 Speaker 2: they'll give me the medication and the spacers to go 567 00:32:18,360 --> 00:32:20,640 Speaker 2: home and then come back first thing the next morning. 568 00:32:22,080 --> 00:32:24,520 Speaker 2: So I was going into the surgery not knowing if 569 00:32:24,560 --> 00:32:28,000 Speaker 2: it was going to be successful or not. After he 570 00:32:28,120 --> 00:32:30,960 Speaker 2: said that it was very quick, I went and signed 571 00:32:31,000 --> 00:32:34,880 Speaker 2: paperwork for the anesthesia. I had to undress and put 572 00:32:34,880 --> 00:32:37,240 Speaker 2: a gown on, and then I was in the surgery 573 00:32:37,280 --> 00:32:41,120 Speaker 2: room and I climbed up in the bed and the 574 00:32:41,200 --> 00:32:44,320 Speaker 2: anesthesia anesthesiologist came in and told me that I was 575 00:32:44,360 --> 00:32:47,280 Speaker 2: going to go to sleep, and that's what I did, 576 00:32:47,560 --> 00:32:50,400 Speaker 2: and I woke up, not in the same room, not 577 00:32:50,560 --> 00:32:54,200 Speaker 2: in the same bed, and there was a nurse standing 578 00:32:54,280 --> 00:32:56,240 Speaker 2: next to me. And immediately when I woke up, I 579 00:32:56,400 --> 00:33:00,520 Speaker 2: felt the pain in my lower abdomen, and she said, 580 00:33:00,560 --> 00:33:03,160 Speaker 2: miss Phillips, how are you feeling? And I said, I'm 581 00:33:03,200 --> 00:33:07,000 Speaker 2: in a lot of pain and she said that is normal. 582 00:33:07,600 --> 00:33:09,760 Speaker 2: And then I cut her off and I said was 583 00:33:09,800 --> 00:33:14,080 Speaker 2: the surgery successful? She said, yes, man, the surgery was successful. 584 00:33:15,040 --> 00:33:18,240 Speaker 2: And I said, so I'm not pregnant anymore. She goes, no, ma'am, 585 00:33:18,280 --> 00:33:21,080 Speaker 2: you're not. And then of course I just started crying 586 00:33:21,160 --> 00:33:25,959 Speaker 2: again because that reality hit that I came to New 587 00:33:26,040 --> 00:33:30,960 Speaker 2: York pregnant and I was leaving I was leaving not pregnant. 588 00:33:34,160 --> 00:33:37,440 Speaker 2: When I got back home from New York. Postpartum depression 589 00:33:37,640 --> 00:33:40,640 Speaker 2: hits whether you had your baby or not, and I've 590 00:33:40,640 --> 00:33:43,959 Speaker 2: already struggled with depression since I was fourteen. I've been 591 00:33:44,000 --> 00:33:47,560 Speaker 2: on medication for it, so my mental health was already 592 00:33:47,880 --> 00:33:52,000 Speaker 2: in a rough space getting back from New York. I 593 00:33:52,160 --> 00:33:55,200 Speaker 2: ended up taking an extra week from the daycare center 594 00:33:55,280 --> 00:33:58,880 Speaker 2: I run from my home because I just couldn't function 595 00:33:59,040 --> 00:34:02,760 Speaker 2: as a person and I was struggling with suicidal thoughts. 596 00:34:03,040 --> 00:34:04,880 Speaker 2: I didn't want to be in a world without Miley 597 00:34:05,440 --> 00:34:08,759 Speaker 2: and my daycare I took care of four kids under 598 00:34:08,800 --> 00:34:11,239 Speaker 2: the age of three, so one of them being an 599 00:34:11,280 --> 00:34:14,400 Speaker 2: eight month old baby at the time, and I just 600 00:34:14,560 --> 00:34:17,920 Speaker 2: knew if I saw a young baby, it would just 601 00:34:18,760 --> 00:34:23,320 Speaker 2: kind of shove that knife in deeper. And so I 602 00:34:23,440 --> 00:34:30,000 Speaker 2: continued to share my journey on TikTok, and my grief 603 00:34:30,160 --> 00:34:35,240 Speaker 2: went from heartache to being very angry after that two weeks. 604 00:34:35,520 --> 00:34:38,520 Speaker 2: It took a very stern conversation from my mom and 605 00:34:38,640 --> 00:34:42,520 Speaker 2: husband to tell me that me sit laying in bed 606 00:34:42,600 --> 00:34:46,960 Speaker 2: isn't going to bring Miley back. Addalie was losing her mom. 607 00:34:47,239 --> 00:34:51,440 Speaker 2: I needed to get up, get myself together, and get 608 00:34:51,520 --> 00:34:54,200 Speaker 2: back into a part of life, and so I didn't 609 00:34:54,200 --> 00:34:57,160 Speaker 2: want to neglect Attalie any longer than I already was. 610 00:34:57,320 --> 00:35:00,279 Speaker 2: So I pulled myself together the best I could. But 611 00:35:00,360 --> 00:35:04,759 Speaker 2: I got very angry, and I got angry because what 612 00:35:04,880 --> 00:35:07,000 Speaker 2: I went through I shouldn't have had to gone through. 613 00:35:07,960 --> 00:35:10,000 Speaker 2: I shouldn't have had to been in a different state. 614 00:35:10,160 --> 00:35:13,160 Speaker 2: I shouldn't have had to figure out logistics to fly 615 00:35:13,280 --> 00:35:15,960 Speaker 2: to a clinic. I shouldn't have been alone when I 616 00:35:16,040 --> 00:35:18,480 Speaker 2: went through surgery and sat in recovery. I shouldn't have 617 00:35:18,600 --> 00:35:20,920 Speaker 2: had to go through any of that. I should have 618 00:35:20,960 --> 00:35:23,960 Speaker 2: been able to get a procedure here in my home 619 00:35:24,040 --> 00:35:26,399 Speaker 2: state and go home and sleep in my own bed, 620 00:35:26,880 --> 00:35:31,080 Speaker 2: surrounded by my husband and daughter. But that wasn't the case, 621 00:35:31,640 --> 00:35:35,320 Speaker 2: because male politicians think they know it's best for women. 622 00:35:36,680 --> 00:35:40,880 Speaker 2: And so I turned my anger into more vocal activism 623 00:35:41,840 --> 00:35:45,279 Speaker 2: and more of my video started gaining traction, and the 624 00:35:45,360 --> 00:35:48,320 Speaker 2: Center for Reproductive Rights had reached out to me because 625 00:35:48,320 --> 00:35:51,040 Speaker 2: they currently had a case in Texas with women, and 626 00:35:51,160 --> 00:35:55,240 Speaker 2: they asked me if i'd be interested in suing Tennessee. Yes. Immediately, 627 00:35:55,520 --> 00:35:58,640 Speaker 2: I didn't even think about my answer. I said yes 628 00:35:59,360 --> 00:36:05,160 Speaker 2: because I wanted Miley. I wanted her story to be 629 00:36:05,760 --> 00:36:10,640 Speaker 2: the change that happens. And so while I was starting 630 00:36:10,680 --> 00:36:13,560 Speaker 2: the process of being a plaintiff in a legal case, 631 00:36:14,360 --> 00:36:17,400 Speaker 2: I started thinking about what I could do on a 632 00:36:17,480 --> 00:36:21,000 Speaker 2: lower level, I just as a citizen, and so I 633 00:36:21,120 --> 00:36:25,160 Speaker 2: thought of Miley's Law. And Miley's Law essentially would just 634 00:36:25,200 --> 00:36:28,719 Speaker 2: give exceptions back to parents when diagnosed with fetal anomalies. 635 00:36:29,560 --> 00:36:33,040 Speaker 2: For me, exceptions aren't enough. But I know, being in 636 00:36:33,120 --> 00:36:37,719 Speaker 2: a majority GOP state, just banning the ban altogether wasn't 637 00:36:37,760 --> 00:36:40,120 Speaker 2: going to be possible. So I figured if I could 638 00:36:40,160 --> 00:36:42,840 Speaker 2: throw them a bone and we take some baby steps, 639 00:36:43,239 --> 00:36:45,560 Speaker 2: that that would be the best course. And so I 640 00:36:45,680 --> 00:36:49,080 Speaker 2: met with my representative on June eighth last year, and 641 00:36:49,160 --> 00:36:50,880 Speaker 2: I told him my story. We sat in a two 642 00:36:50,960 --> 00:36:53,480 Speaker 2: hour meeting. I told him my story, and I told 643 00:36:53,560 --> 00:36:56,120 Speaker 2: him my idea for Miley's Law, and I asked for 644 00:36:56,200 --> 00:36:59,880 Speaker 2: his help to create the bill. Because I've never written 645 00:36:59,880 --> 00:37:01,759 Speaker 2: a before, I have no idea how to do that, 646 00:37:02,560 --> 00:37:04,839 Speaker 2: and so I wanted his help to write that bill 647 00:37:04,880 --> 00:37:07,120 Speaker 2: and get it up to the legislature, and he said 648 00:37:07,160 --> 00:37:11,919 Speaker 2: he would help me. And during that conversation I kind 649 00:37:12,000 --> 00:37:16,920 Speaker 2: of confirmed the thoughts I already had about our male lawmakers. 650 00:37:17,440 --> 00:37:19,279 Speaker 2: I had told him that I already had a daughter 651 00:37:19,400 --> 00:37:22,040 Speaker 2: here and that this was my second pregnancy that I lost, 652 00:37:22,719 --> 00:37:25,440 Speaker 2: and he said, wait a second, and I quote this, 653 00:37:26,320 --> 00:37:28,920 Speaker 2: I'm just a man, but I only thought it was 654 00:37:28,960 --> 00:37:32,439 Speaker 2: the first pregnancy that could go bad. And I said, 655 00:37:32,840 --> 00:37:36,520 Speaker 2: first pregnancies can go bad. Any pregnancy can go bad, 656 00:37:36,600 --> 00:37:39,759 Speaker 2: though it's not just the first pregnancy. He was told 657 00:37:39,800 --> 00:37:42,200 Speaker 2: that it was just first pregnancies that go bad, and 658 00:37:42,239 --> 00:37:44,000 Speaker 2: so it didn't make sense to him when my second 659 00:37:44,080 --> 00:37:47,800 Speaker 2: pregnancy failed. On top of that, I tried to humanize 660 00:37:47,840 --> 00:37:49,640 Speaker 2: my story with him, because he made sure to tell 661 00:37:49,680 --> 00:37:51,719 Speaker 2: me that he is pro life and that I wasn't 662 00:37:51,760 --> 00:37:53,560 Speaker 2: going to make him pro choice, and I said, I'm 663 00:37:53,600 --> 00:37:55,319 Speaker 2: not trying to make you pro choice. I'm just trying 664 00:37:55,360 --> 00:37:57,920 Speaker 2: to make you understand what I went through. And he 665 00:37:58,040 --> 00:38:00,440 Speaker 2: has a daughter who's not much younger than me, twenty 666 00:38:00,520 --> 00:38:04,000 Speaker 2: five I think, and she doesn't have any children, and 667 00:38:04,040 --> 00:38:06,200 Speaker 2: so I was like, great, imagine this was her first 668 00:38:06,280 --> 00:38:09,120 Speaker 2: pregnancy and she called you and told you everything. I 669 00:38:09,280 --> 00:38:12,320 Speaker 2: just told you told you that her pregnancy wasn't viable 670 00:38:12,360 --> 00:38:14,200 Speaker 2: and that if she continued it was putting her life 671 00:38:14,200 --> 00:38:17,279 Speaker 2: at risk. What advice would you give her? And he 672 00:38:17,400 --> 00:38:19,040 Speaker 2: told me that I wasn't going to like his answer, 673 00:38:19,520 --> 00:38:21,800 Speaker 2: and I said, I want to hear it. What advice 674 00:38:21,840 --> 00:38:25,360 Speaker 2: would you give your daughter? And he said that the 675 00:38:25,480 --> 00:38:28,480 Speaker 2: way he grew up is that he would tell her 676 00:38:28,719 --> 00:38:32,799 Speaker 2: that he thinks she should continue her pregnancy. And I said, 677 00:38:32,960 --> 00:38:36,320 Speaker 2: even if it's putting her life at risk, and he 678 00:38:36,400 --> 00:38:39,120 Speaker 2: said that's just how I grew up. I said, what 679 00:38:39,320 --> 00:38:41,800 Speaker 2: happens if she gets the abortion? Are you going to disowner? 680 00:38:42,360 --> 00:38:44,880 Speaker 2: He said, I wouldn't disowner, but I wouldn't be happy 681 00:38:44,920 --> 00:38:48,400 Speaker 2: with her. And I think at that moment, it's solidified 682 00:38:48,440 --> 00:38:51,919 Speaker 2: for me that if these representatives don't even care about 683 00:38:51,920 --> 00:38:54,520 Speaker 2: their own child's wellbeing, they sure as hell don't care 684 00:38:54,520 --> 00:38:58,879 Speaker 2: about the rest of us. And so after that meeting, 685 00:38:58,920 --> 00:39:01,080 Speaker 2: I followed up with him a few times, asking where 686 00:39:01,120 --> 00:39:03,040 Speaker 2: we were, on him helping me, where we were on 687 00:39:03,120 --> 00:39:05,759 Speaker 2: these meetings, like what's next? And I kept getting the 688 00:39:05,800 --> 00:39:09,600 Speaker 2: run around, and I think it was after a month 689 00:39:09,680 --> 00:39:13,239 Speaker 2: or two roughly I messaged him one final time. I 690 00:39:13,280 --> 00:39:15,520 Speaker 2: said what are we doing? Like, are you helping me 691 00:39:15,680 --> 00:39:18,320 Speaker 2: or not? And he said that there's really nothing he 692 00:39:18,440 --> 00:39:21,800 Speaker 2: can do until the session starts back in January. And 693 00:39:21,880 --> 00:39:24,000 Speaker 2: I said, so women in Tennessee, ye are just supposed 694 00:39:24,000 --> 00:39:28,360 Speaker 2: to suffer and die until January. And he never responded 695 00:39:28,440 --> 00:39:32,960 Speaker 2: to me. And so that moment again, I was just like, 696 00:39:33,040 --> 00:39:35,440 Speaker 2: you know what, I'm not going to sit around and 697 00:39:35,520 --> 00:39:38,120 Speaker 2: wait for a man to help me do anything. I'm 698 00:39:38,120 --> 00:39:41,320 Speaker 2: going to do it myself. And that's when people started 699 00:39:41,360 --> 00:39:44,640 Speaker 2: telling me I should run for office. Now, being a 700 00:39:44,719 --> 00:39:49,759 Speaker 2: politician or being an elected official in any capacity was 701 00:39:49,960 --> 00:39:52,359 Speaker 2: never something I thought I would do in my life. 702 00:39:52,640 --> 00:39:55,120 Speaker 2: I went to school for journalism. I wanted to be 703 00:39:55,239 --> 00:39:59,040 Speaker 2: a reporter. I wanted to write stories. That's my calling, 704 00:39:59,200 --> 00:40:04,520 Speaker 2: I thought, And so people started to My mom was 705 00:40:04,560 --> 00:40:06,239 Speaker 2: the first one to susjust it. And I was like, 706 00:40:06,360 --> 00:40:09,520 Speaker 2: you're crazy and she was like, no, but actually, like 707 00:40:09,640 --> 00:40:12,600 Speaker 2: you have the passion, You're very well spoken, you have 708 00:40:12,760 --> 00:40:16,400 Speaker 2: the heart, You're very relatable, and people listen to you. 709 00:40:16,760 --> 00:40:19,360 Speaker 2: You already have the following and the platform. She's like 710 00:40:19,400 --> 00:40:23,799 Speaker 2: why not. It's like why would I? I personally don't 711 00:40:23,920 --> 00:40:26,600 Speaker 2: like politics. The most I've ever done with politics is 712 00:40:26,640 --> 00:40:28,279 Speaker 2: go out and vote, and I thought I was doing 713 00:40:28,320 --> 00:40:33,080 Speaker 2: my due diligence, but more and more people started coming 714 00:40:33,200 --> 00:40:36,080 Speaker 2: up to me and saying, have you ever thought about 715 00:40:36,120 --> 00:40:38,520 Speaker 2: running for office? You should really think about running for office? 716 00:40:39,000 --> 00:40:40,719 Speaker 2: Like what is wrong with you? Like? Do you guys 717 00:40:40,800 --> 00:40:42,839 Speaker 2: just not have anybody else to run? Is that what's 718 00:40:42,880 --> 00:40:46,680 Speaker 2: going on here? And I will say there wasn't like 719 00:40:46,760 --> 00:40:49,560 Speaker 2: an aha moment for me. It was kind of I 720 00:40:49,680 --> 00:40:54,520 Speaker 2: was building this tier and with every layer gave me 721 00:40:54,600 --> 00:40:58,920 Speaker 2: another reason to decide to run for office. These reasons 722 00:40:59,000 --> 00:41:01,160 Speaker 2: being as I was on TikTok, I would also share 723 00:41:01,239 --> 00:41:06,200 Speaker 2: other women's stories from Texas, Florida, Oklahoma, Idaho, people other 724 00:41:06,320 --> 00:41:08,880 Speaker 2: women having to flee their states, are being denied abortion 725 00:41:09,000 --> 00:41:11,400 Speaker 2: access in their states. And it was the ten year 726 00:41:11,400 --> 00:41:14,680 Speaker 2: old girl who was raped and had to go across 727 00:41:14,840 --> 00:41:17,920 Speaker 2: state lines to get an abortion that really hit me. 728 00:41:18,040 --> 00:41:20,240 Speaker 2: And I was like, my daughter now at that point 729 00:41:20,360 --> 00:41:23,840 Speaker 2: was six, she's very close to that age. I know 730 00:41:23,960 --> 00:41:26,560 Speaker 2: what I went through as a twenty eight year old woman. 731 00:41:27,200 --> 00:41:30,880 Speaker 2: I could not imagine the trauma and the damage that 732 00:41:31,000 --> 00:41:34,360 Speaker 2: does to a ten year old girl. And that was 733 00:41:34,520 --> 00:41:37,960 Speaker 2: the biggest slab for me was to be like Okay, 734 00:41:38,280 --> 00:41:41,279 Speaker 2: you know what, I'm going to consider it. And then 735 00:41:41,320 --> 00:41:44,320 Speaker 2: it came into there's other things that I care about 736 00:41:44,760 --> 00:41:47,120 Speaker 2: my daughter, like I said before, as autistics, so she 737 00:41:47,200 --> 00:41:50,960 Speaker 2: has an IEP in her school, she's special needs. She's 738 00:41:51,000 --> 00:41:53,640 Speaker 2: in a public school. Our state is currently trying to 739 00:41:54,200 --> 00:41:57,920 Speaker 2: implement a voucher program that would take public school funding 740 00:41:58,239 --> 00:42:00,920 Speaker 2: and put it into private schools. Or her public schools 741 00:42:00,920 --> 00:42:03,359 Speaker 2: are already underfunded and we need to take away more 742 00:42:03,440 --> 00:42:07,480 Speaker 2: funding that takes away these things like IEP assistants and 743 00:42:07,560 --> 00:42:10,440 Speaker 2: these resources for kids that have disabilities. So it's like, 744 00:42:10,520 --> 00:42:12,880 Speaker 2: that's going to affect my daughter, That's going to affect 745 00:42:12,960 --> 00:42:15,200 Speaker 2: my life. And then the fact that my six year 746 00:42:15,200 --> 00:42:17,360 Speaker 2: old is scared to go to school some days because 747 00:42:17,360 --> 00:42:19,920 Speaker 2: she does these active shooter drills, and the fact that 748 00:42:20,040 --> 00:42:22,080 Speaker 2: I'm scared she's not going to come home some days. 749 00:42:22,360 --> 00:42:24,600 Speaker 2: I try to remember what clothes she's wearing. I don't 750 00:42:24,640 --> 00:42:26,600 Speaker 2: buy her light up shoes because I don't want her 751 00:42:26,640 --> 00:42:28,920 Speaker 2: to be seen in a dark room. These are very 752 00:42:29,000 --> 00:42:32,400 Speaker 2: real things that American moms have to worry about. And 753 00:42:32,480 --> 00:42:35,320 Speaker 2: then I realized I run an in home daycare for 754 00:42:35,440 --> 00:42:37,400 Speaker 2: the simple fact that I know how hard it is 755 00:42:37,480 --> 00:42:39,880 Speaker 2: to pay for daycare as a single mom, because I 756 00:42:40,000 --> 00:42:43,719 Speaker 2: did it for three years. And there are so many 757 00:42:43,800 --> 00:42:46,719 Speaker 2: more things. I didn't get a maternity leave. I took 758 00:42:46,800 --> 00:42:49,959 Speaker 2: two weeks off of work when I had Adelie to heal. 759 00:42:50,560 --> 00:42:52,279 Speaker 2: I didn't get paid for those two weeks. Those were 760 00:42:52,320 --> 00:42:54,520 Speaker 2: two weeks unpaid. And then I went back to work 761 00:42:54,560 --> 00:42:56,719 Speaker 2: when she was two weeks old. And so I was like, 762 00:42:56,800 --> 00:42:59,840 Speaker 2: there are so many things that I just kind of 763 00:43:00,080 --> 00:43:03,480 Speaker 2: lived through and accept it because it is what it is. 764 00:43:03,600 --> 00:43:06,000 Speaker 2: What am I going to do to change it? And 765 00:43:06,040 --> 00:43:09,279 Speaker 2: then that's when I really started to accept that what 766 00:43:09,560 --> 00:43:12,600 Speaker 2: our state is doing to women, families, and children is 767 00:43:12,719 --> 00:43:16,319 Speaker 2: so far beyond unacceptable. Then I can't just sit here 768 00:43:16,520 --> 00:43:19,080 Speaker 2: and complain on TikTok anymore. I can't just sit here 769 00:43:19,480 --> 00:43:22,200 Speaker 2: and vote for the blue guy anymore. I have got 770 00:43:22,320 --> 00:43:29,399 Speaker 2: to be in one of those seats making decisions when 771 00:43:29,440 --> 00:43:29,920 Speaker 2: we come back. 772 00:43:29,960 --> 00:43:33,520 Speaker 1: Ali breaks down her campaign strategy and share some of 773 00:43:33,560 --> 00:43:35,920 Speaker 1: the reactions she's getting from voters. 774 00:43:51,239 --> 00:43:56,240 Speaker 2: I actually announced earlier than what many people did because 775 00:43:56,480 --> 00:44:00,440 Speaker 2: my opponent is very wealthy and consulf on his own campaign. 776 00:44:00,760 --> 00:44:02,520 Speaker 2: I wanted to make sure I had enough time to 777 00:44:02,640 --> 00:44:05,680 Speaker 2: fundraise as much as I could, so I announced over 778 00:44:05,760 --> 00:44:09,279 Speaker 2: a year before the election, so majority of what I've 779 00:44:09,320 --> 00:44:13,400 Speaker 2: been doing has solely been online. I posted my campaign 780 00:44:13,480 --> 00:44:16,640 Speaker 2: launch video, and I've been doing interviews like this that 781 00:44:16,880 --> 00:44:19,680 Speaker 2: talks about my campaign and my story, and we have 782 00:44:20,440 --> 00:44:24,120 Speaker 2: it's public now. But we have raised over ninety thousand 783 00:44:24,160 --> 00:44:26,760 Speaker 2: dollars in the first like two and a half three months, 784 00:44:26,840 --> 00:44:30,160 Speaker 2: which is crazy for a small local election for somebody 785 00:44:30,200 --> 00:44:33,560 Speaker 2: that's never ran for office before. Now that we're in January, 786 00:44:33,920 --> 00:44:36,839 Speaker 2: I have done community events. I've done fundraisers. I've been 787 00:44:36,880 --> 00:44:40,680 Speaker 2: to other people's fundraisers. I've been to community meetings and 788 00:44:40,760 --> 00:44:43,040 Speaker 2: things like that, school board meetings. I just went to 789 00:44:43,120 --> 00:44:45,800 Speaker 2: a teacher union meeting last night and heard their concerns. 790 00:44:46,000 --> 00:44:48,200 Speaker 2: But now that we're in January and actually in the 791 00:44:48,280 --> 00:44:53,200 Speaker 2: election year, now I'm going in like feet on the ground. 792 00:44:53,520 --> 00:44:56,680 Speaker 2: I pulled my petition I think in a week or 793 00:44:56,719 --> 00:44:59,200 Speaker 2: two and I'll be going and knocking on doors to 794 00:44:59,239 --> 00:45:02,240 Speaker 2: get signatures so I can officially be on the ballot. 795 00:45:02,280 --> 00:45:05,279 Speaker 2: And so I'm going to be posting round table discussions 796 00:45:05,320 --> 00:45:08,960 Speaker 2: with different community organizations in my area and asking them 797 00:45:09,600 --> 00:45:12,480 Speaker 2: what is it that using needs to be improved, What 798 00:45:12,640 --> 00:45:15,440 Speaker 2: is it that you're concerned about I'm taking my story 799 00:45:15,840 --> 00:45:18,319 Speaker 2: and putting it on the back burner. My story's been 800 00:45:18,360 --> 00:45:21,319 Speaker 2: told enough. Now I want to hear from them. One 801 00:45:21,360 --> 00:45:23,800 Speaker 2: of the things that just recently came out on Wednesday 802 00:45:23,840 --> 00:45:26,640 Speaker 2: from the Journal of American Medicine was that there are 803 00:45:26,840 --> 00:45:32,120 Speaker 2: around sixty five thousand women and girls with rape related pregnancies. 804 00:45:32,440 --> 00:45:35,160 Speaker 2: And these are just coming from the fourteen states that 805 00:45:35,400 --> 00:45:39,600 Speaker 2: have a ban or a restriction on abortion access. And 806 00:45:39,719 --> 00:45:42,640 Speaker 2: these are the women and girls that have reported it. 807 00:45:43,160 --> 00:45:47,680 Speaker 2: So how many are unreported? How many have just gone unnoticed, 808 00:45:48,000 --> 00:45:50,640 Speaker 2: And so I think that brings a new light and 809 00:45:50,760 --> 00:45:54,440 Speaker 2: a new fact to people that say, oh, rape related 810 00:45:55,160 --> 00:45:59,120 Speaker 2: abortions are so rare, they don't happen that often. Sixty 811 00:45:59,239 --> 00:46:03,680 Speaker 2: five thousand women and girls have come forward just within 812 00:46:03,840 --> 00:46:07,920 Speaker 2: the last year or so since Roe was overturned. The 813 00:46:08,040 --> 00:46:10,920 Speaker 2: thing with the argument of it being birth control is 814 00:46:11,239 --> 00:46:14,120 Speaker 2: for some women, it may be it may be that 815 00:46:14,239 --> 00:46:17,920 Speaker 2: they accidentally got pregnant or you know, took precautions to 816 00:46:18,000 --> 00:46:20,000 Speaker 2: not get pregnant, but they still ended up pregnant and 817 00:46:20,120 --> 00:46:22,360 Speaker 2: they don't want to be pregnant, and so yeah, it 818 00:46:22,440 --> 00:46:24,719 Speaker 2: could be used as a form of birth control for 819 00:46:24,880 --> 00:46:29,160 Speaker 2: some women. But to ban a life saving procedure for 820 00:46:29,480 --> 00:46:32,880 Speaker 2: the woman who is going septic and bleeding out because 821 00:46:32,920 --> 00:46:34,800 Speaker 2: you don't want your neighbor to go get an abortion 822 00:46:34,920 --> 00:46:36,920 Speaker 2: because she accidentally got pregnant doesn't make a whole lot 823 00:46:36,960 --> 00:46:39,600 Speaker 2: of sense. The thing with abortion that people need to 824 00:46:39,680 --> 00:46:43,640 Speaker 2: understand is it is a medical procedure, whether that fetus 825 00:46:43,760 --> 00:46:46,160 Speaker 2: is dead or alive. I've had so many people in 826 00:46:46,280 --> 00:46:49,359 Speaker 2: my comments telling me, well, your baby died, you didn't 827 00:46:49,400 --> 00:46:51,840 Speaker 2: get an abortion, she was already dead, And I'm like, 828 00:46:51,920 --> 00:46:56,840 Speaker 2: that is such an illogical explanation of what an abortion is. 829 00:46:57,440 --> 00:47:00,160 Speaker 2: The abortion is literally the procedure the removal of the 830 00:47:00,200 --> 00:47:04,719 Speaker 2: feudal tissue. So when I have to tell people, no, 831 00:47:05,320 --> 00:47:08,160 Speaker 2: I still had an abortion, it doesn't matter that she 832 00:47:08,360 --> 00:47:10,239 Speaker 2: was dead, it doesn't matter if they're alive. It is 833 00:47:10,360 --> 00:47:14,560 Speaker 2: still the same process. Some people listen, some people don't. 834 00:47:15,320 --> 00:47:18,480 Speaker 2: But another way I try to humanize it to people 835 00:47:18,760 --> 00:47:22,600 Speaker 2: is we can't pick and choose who gets healthcare and win. 836 00:47:23,160 --> 00:47:27,040 Speaker 2: For example, if you have two patients that are diagnosed 837 00:47:27,080 --> 00:47:30,160 Speaker 2: with cancer, one of them being Stage one, one of 838 00:47:30,200 --> 00:47:32,520 Speaker 2: them being a stage four, you don't get to look 839 00:47:32,560 --> 00:47:36,319 Speaker 2: at the stage one patient and say you're not sick enough, 840 00:47:36,360 --> 00:47:38,960 Speaker 2: We're not going to let you have chemo, but then 841 00:47:39,120 --> 00:47:42,480 Speaker 2: give the stage four patient chemo, because now you're just 842 00:47:42,560 --> 00:47:45,920 Speaker 2: taking away that stage one patient their ability to get 843 00:47:46,000 --> 00:47:49,520 Speaker 2: healthcare and preserve their health. We want to be proactive 844 00:47:50,440 --> 00:47:55,000 Speaker 2: and not reactive. But the whole point of choice isn't 845 00:47:55,040 --> 00:47:58,799 Speaker 2: being pro abortion. That's something that I tell I tell 846 00:47:58,840 --> 00:48:01,560 Speaker 2: people all the time. Could be pro choice without being 847 00:48:01,640 --> 00:48:08,319 Speaker 2: pro abortion. Being pro choice is literally supporting women having 848 00:48:08,360 --> 00:48:11,279 Speaker 2: the right to choose, whether that be they need an 849 00:48:11,280 --> 00:48:13,719 Speaker 2: abortion or want an abortion, whether that be they want 850 00:48:13,760 --> 00:48:16,000 Speaker 2: to have the baby and keep it, or whether that 851 00:48:16,120 --> 00:48:18,640 Speaker 2: be they want to put it up for adoption. It's 852 00:48:18,719 --> 00:48:21,759 Speaker 2: whatever works best for that woman that you support their 853 00:48:21,840 --> 00:48:24,759 Speaker 2: right to choose. And when you take away that right, 854 00:48:25,160 --> 00:48:27,840 Speaker 2: you start seeing things like women dying, You start seeing 855 00:48:28,000 --> 00:48:32,520 Speaker 2: things like rape increasing because there's there's no penalty, because 856 00:48:32,880 --> 00:48:35,560 Speaker 2: how many convictions actually have happened from those sixty five 857 00:48:35,640 --> 00:48:39,760 Speaker 2: thousand rapes that were recorded. How many That's the problem 858 00:48:39,840 --> 00:48:43,120 Speaker 2: we face as women as well, is coming forward when 859 00:48:43,160 --> 00:48:47,000 Speaker 2: we are raped and being believed. This has become so 860 00:48:47,200 --> 00:48:50,359 Speaker 2: important to me because I am a mom, and as 861 00:48:50,400 --> 00:48:53,360 Speaker 2: a mom, it's my job to protect my children, and 862 00:48:54,200 --> 00:48:56,400 Speaker 2: my daughter is growing up in this state and she 863 00:48:56,560 --> 00:48:59,040 Speaker 2: may raise her own family in this state, and it's 864 00:48:59,080 --> 00:49:01,560 Speaker 2: my job to make sure that she's protected and cared for. 865 00:49:02,200 --> 00:49:04,960 Speaker 2: And so running for office, I don't know if I'm 866 00:49:05,000 --> 00:49:06,920 Speaker 2: going to win my election. I hope I do, but 867 00:49:07,880 --> 00:49:11,800 Speaker 2: showing her that just because something is doesn't mean it 868 00:49:11,880 --> 00:49:14,480 Speaker 2: has to be. If you know in your heart that 869 00:49:14,640 --> 00:49:17,560 Speaker 2: something is wrong and it's hurting people, you have the 870 00:49:17,680 --> 00:49:19,840 Speaker 2: right to stand up and speak out. And so I 871 00:49:20,040 --> 00:49:22,920 Speaker 2: hope I'm leaving a legacy for my daughter to be 872 00:49:23,640 --> 00:49:27,080 Speaker 2: active and be loud about the things she cares about 873 00:49:27,160 --> 00:49:29,080 Speaker 2: and to never give up no matter how many people 874 00:49:29,200 --> 00:49:31,840 Speaker 2: try to tear her down. The fact that I'm making 875 00:49:31,960 --> 00:49:34,320 Speaker 2: so many people mad on the other side tells me 876 00:49:34,360 --> 00:49:37,719 Speaker 2: I'm doing something right. So this is important for me now. 877 00:49:38,200 --> 00:49:40,360 Speaker 2: I feel like this is my purpose to keep Miley's 878 00:49:40,400 --> 00:49:43,680 Speaker 2: name alive and to push Miley's Law, and to just 879 00:49:43,800 --> 00:49:48,560 Speaker 2: push the fact that abortions are healthcare no matter how 880 00:49:48,640 --> 00:49:51,000 Speaker 2: you look at it, and to normalize the word abortion. 881 00:49:51,400 --> 00:49:53,400 Speaker 2: The stigma that's been on it has been on it 882 00:49:53,560 --> 00:49:55,879 Speaker 2: far too long, and I just want to make sure 883 00:49:55,960 --> 00:49:58,920 Speaker 2: that women and children across this state and across this 884 00:49:59,040 --> 00:50:03,919 Speaker 2: country are not being attacked and having rights taken away 885 00:50:03,920 --> 00:50:06,320 Speaker 2: because at this point we feel like second class citizens 886 00:50:06,640 --> 00:50:08,960 Speaker 2: and it's not okay. It's not okay, But I just 887 00:50:09,080 --> 00:50:11,560 Speaker 2: hope that it's enough, and if it's not, I'm going 888 00:50:11,640 --> 00:50:12,680 Speaker 2: to keep fighting until it is. 889 00:50:19,920 --> 00:50:23,080 Speaker 1: Thanks for listening everyone. If you have a question for me, 890 00:50:23,520 --> 00:50:26,000 Speaker 1: a subject you want us to cover, or you want 891 00:50:26,040 --> 00:50:29,319 Speaker 1: to share your thoughts about how you navigate this crazy world, 892 00:50:29,760 --> 00:50:32,680 Speaker 1: reach out. You can leave a short message at six 893 00:50:32,840 --> 00:50:35,839 Speaker 1: h nine five point two five to five oh five, 894 00:50:36,239 --> 00:50:38,680 Speaker 1: or you can send me a DM on Instagram. I 895 00:50:38,719 --> 00:50:41,640 Speaker 1: would love to hear from you. Next Question is a 896 00:50:41,680 --> 00:50:46,440 Speaker 1: production of iHeartMedia and Katie Kuric Media. The executive producers 897 00:50:46,440 --> 00:50:50,600 Speaker 1: are Me, Katie Kuric, and Courtney Ltz. Our supervising producer 898 00:50:50,800 --> 00:50:54,920 Speaker 1: is Ryan Martz, and our producers are Adriana Fazzio and 899 00:50:55,080 --> 00:51:00,400 Speaker 1: Meredith Barnes. Julian Weller composed our theme music. For more 900 00:51:00,480 --> 00:51:04,000 Speaker 1: information about today's episode, or to sign up for my newsletter, 901 00:51:04,200 --> 00:51:07,160 Speaker 1: wake Up Call, go to the description in the podcast 902 00:51:07,239 --> 00:51:10,799 Speaker 1: app or visit us at Katiecuric dot com. You can 903 00:51:10,840 --> 00:51:14,320 Speaker 1: also find me on Instagram and all my social media channels. 904 00:51:14,920 --> 00:51:20,319 Speaker 1: For more podcasts from iHeartRadio, visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, 905 00:51:20,680 --> 00:51:22,840 Speaker 1: or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.