Atlanta, GA — The family of Adriana Smith, a 30-year-old nurse and mother who carried a baby while brain dead, has shared a painful update on her child’s condition.
Smith, who suffered a catastrophic stroke in February while eight weeks pregnant, was kept alive until doctors performed an emergency C-section in June. Her son, Chance, has been fighting for his life ever since.
Baby Chance’s Ongoing Struggle
Born weighing just 1 pound and 13 ounces, Chance entered the world extremely premature. Nearly two months later, he has grown to just under five pounds.
“His weight is gradually picking up, but the breathing is what we’re concerned with,” said April Newkirk, Smith’s mother, in an interview with local station 11Alive.
Newkirk explained that Chance is “making a little bit of progress, but still some things to do,” adding that the family hopes he will be able to leave the hospital by late September or October.
Family Grapples With Grief
While baby Chance continues his fight in the hospital, Smith’s family, including her 7-year-old son Chase, is mourning the devastating loss of Adriana.
“It’s not getting any better day by day,” Newkirk admitted, describing the pain of watching her daughter’s life cut short.
Smith’s story drew national attention earlier this year, becoming part of the broader debate over abortion rights in Georgia and across the country, according to The Independent.
Legal and Political Controversy
Smith’s family had said she was kept on life support because of Georgia’s LIFE Act, a state law that bans most abortions after the detection of fetal cardiac activity, which can occur as early as six weeks.
However, Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr’s office disputed that claim in May, stating:
“There is nothing in the LIFE act that requires medical professionals to keep a woman on life support after brain death.”
The controversy has reignited debate over the law’s implications, particularly in tragic cases like Smith’s.
Fighting for Change
For Newkirk, the issue has now become personal. She has vowed to continue speaking out against the state’s abortion restrictions.
“I want them to know that this didn’t have to happen,” she said. “Women have rights; it’s their body.”
As the family navigates their grief and supports Chance in his fragile recovery, their voices have become part of a growing movement questioning how restrictive abortion laws intersect with medical ethics and patient rights.
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