A television news anchor recently shared her heartbreak publicly when she learned that her unborn daughter has fatal disorder called anencephaly.
But Brooke Martin and her husband, Cole, who live in Indiana, said they know that “God has a plan” for their daughter’s life, even though she may not live much longer, CNS News reports.
A news anchor for WISH-TV News 8 in Indianapolis, the Martins shared their story in a heartbreaking video earlier this month.
Martin said she went to the doctor a few weeks ago after suffering from bronchitis and received even worse news. She said doctors discovered that her unborn daughter has anencephaly, a rare brain condition that typically is fatal.
“During the ultrasound when we made the discovery, I watched her stretching her legs and her arms, and her hearts beating so strong – she’s beautiful. She’s beautiful,” she said in an interview with Wish-TV. “And we’re so thankful for her.
Often parents who learn of an anencephaly diagnosis are encouraged to have an abortion, but the Martins did not mention abortion as an option for their daughter, Emma Noelle.
“We found out it’s a girl, but she has zero chance of survival. We decided to carry her long term or as long as she survives,” she said.
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“We are heartbroken, you guys,” Martin continued. “We are so sad. But on the other hand, we are so confident that God has a plan for Emma, that he is going to redeem her story, and that no matter how long she is on this earth, she has a purpose.”
She said they do not know when their daughter will be born. Emma could be stillborn, or she could live for hours or days outside the womb. Many babies with anencephaly live a few hours after birth. Martin said she is due in April.
“So, there’s a lot of uncertainty, but we are just excited about just loving this little girl as long as we can,” Martin said. “You know, even when she’s inside, we trust that she can feel our love and know how much her mom and dad love her. And we know that we’ll be able to spend eternity with her someday. And that’s our confidence, and that’s our hope.”
