Laetitia was only 18 years of age when she discovered quite by chance that she was pregnant. The gynaecologist who performed an emergency ultrasound simply said: “Can you see something flashing on the screen? It’s your baby’s heart beat. Now, either you keep it or you get rid of it”.
She was afraid of her family’s reaction. Her mother remained calm : “She simply said it was my choice – she would support me”. Her father was furious and told her to find out how to get an abortion. The baby’s father had disappeared. Laetitia decided to keep the baby.
She was morally harassed at school. She constantly received telephone calls. People made fun of her, encouraged her to have an abortion or told her she would be a bad mother. The teachers also made their feelings known, repeatedly telling her that she would not pass her exams.
The pregnancy was difficult with frequent visits to the maternity unit. But she passed her exams with flying colours and proudly collected her diploma with her son, Kyllian, in her arms.
Afterwards she commented as follows,“I never let anything drop” and fought to overcome obstacles with determination. She revised “on an hourly basis” and obtained a vocational diploma and a diploma in Commerce. “To be honest with you, there have been problems by the end of the month (i.e. financial problems) but Kyllian has never wanted for anything, be it love, toys or clean clothes… There have also been times when I’ve been fed up of raising a child on my own and of not being like other young girls of my age. But those difficult moments are quickly forgotten when I cuddle my son or when he smiles at me and says, ‘I love you mummy with all my heart, I love you more than the world’. I smile every time I think of his words. How can you resist this little monkey? It’s impossible –I love him to bits”.
Neuf mois, Ophélie Manya (25/03/2017)