Micah Parsons, quite possibly the next NFL star, wants people to know that the reason for his success is because his mother chose life for him.
A celebrated athlete from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, Parsons surprised local news outlet PennLive this month when he shared how he almost was aborted.
The former Penn State linebacker is expected to be a first-round 2021 NFL Draft pick on Thursday in Cleveland, Ohio, according to the report.
In an interview with the news outlet, Parsons’ parents, Sherese and Terrence, described the struggles that their son faced growing up in the inner city and their pride at his determination to overcome those difficulties.
But if it had not been for his mother’s choice and the encouragement she received from a lady at church, Parsons would never have had the opportunity to succeed at all.
Parsons said his mother already had two older children when she got pregnant with him, and she was struggling financially.
“I was really contemplating on getting an abortion,” Sherese admitted.
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Then, she said a woman from their church felt God prompting her to reach out, and she called Sherese.
“She said, ‘Don’t do it.’ She said, ‘Have your baby. You just don’t really know what you’re giving up,’” Sherese told the newspaper
That call encouraged her to choose life for her son, and eventually she realized that Micah was “going to be my biggest blessing.”
Months later, Parsons said his mother woke up in the middle of the night and felt led to name him Micah.
Because of those God-led experiences, “I kind of feel like I’ve got a prophecy in this world to do something bigger than just football, but I think football is my way of connecting to the world,” he said.
From a young age, Parsons was described as a natural on the football field, and people told him that he would go far, according to the report.
“He lives for the moment. He likes to be challenged. When he’s challenged, he just rises to the occasion,” said Calvin Everett, his former high school football coach.
Though he faced some “real hard times growing up,” Terrence said their son was determined to create a better life for himself. He spoke with pride about how Parsons graduated a year early from high school and then completed his college education at Penn State University in three years.
Now, the young man’s talent and success are attracting national attention.
“He’s got a gift. He’s trying to maximize it,” his father said.
That gift was possible because his mother chose life for him. Abortions do not just destroy lives. They destroy hope and possibilities, the chance to succeed and overcome. Parsons’ story exemplifies the hope that every life brings and the reason why every mother should choose life.
