By Maria V. Gallagher, Legislative Director
I had the opportunity to interview a veteran of the pro-life movement. He has been volunteering in the movement for decades, beginning when he was in college. At that time, a young woman was heading up the pro-life club at Villanova University. He was captivated by the cause and the co-ed, whom he later married.
Tom has been a leader in one of the local chapters of the Pennsylvania Pro-Life Federation for years. I asked him what made him continue with the chapter’s work. He said he has been hosting chapter meetings at his house for 30 years, so it would be fairly difficult for him to excuse himself. And he doesn’t want to.
Tom now works for one of the busiest pro-life pregnancy resource centers in the Commonwealth. Just in the last few years, they’ve seen the number of ultrasounds they perform for clients skyrocket. They are strategizing ways to grow even further.
I happened to talk to Tom on his birthday. I asked him if he would ever retire from the pro-life movement. He said he thought he would be involved until his last breath.
I am so thankful for people like Tom who are incredibly dedicated to the pro-life cause. Tom has now given most of his life to it–and he does not regret it. With people like Tom at the helm, there is no shortage of pro-life miracles that can occur.
In fact, he’s met some of those miracles. He spoke of the amazing feeling of being introduced to a young person whose life has been saved with the aid of a pregnancy center. It is awe-inspiring–and it demonstrates why Tom has remained with the pro-life movement for 40 years.
Here’s hoping he lives another 40!