When Christina Fisher discovered she was pregnant in 2015, she felt she wasn’t in a good place financially to raise another child. She already had an 18-year-old daughter and referred to her living situation as “basically homeless.” She decided that the best thing she could do for her new baby was to place her with an adoptive family. However, things didn’t go according to plan.
When baby Abigail Lynn was born on January 11, 2016, her adoptive mother was there. But after seeing Abigail, the woman left the hospital in tears, never to be heard from again.
Abigail was diagnosed with Treacher Collins, a genetic condition that causes underdevelopment of certain facial features, including the jaw and cheekbones as well as the ears and eyes. Some people with Treacher Collins have difficulty with hearing while some others have respiratory problems. She may need cochlear implants for hearing at some point, but otherwise, doctors expect Abigail to lead a completely normal life.
When Fisher realized what had happened, and that her baby had been rejected by her adoptive mother, she decided she would raise her daughter herself.
“That is when I realized she is meant to be mine only now ’cause of her needs,” she wrote on her now-closed fundraising page. “I was not fully prepared for her, but now I can no longer see my life without either one of my daughters.”
Since she wasn’t prepared and was unable to return to work because she was caring for Abigail, friends, family and strangers alike raised over $20,000 to help her cover basic expenses, including diapers. Local nonprofits also helped out by donating clothes and diapers.
“I’ve been very fortunate,” Fisher told NWF Daily News. “I don’t need a glamorous lifestyle. I just need enough to take care of her.”
“They missed out on the most amazing baby in the world,” she said. “She saves my life every single day, just like my 18-year-old did. She doesn’t know how much she means to me… she’ll understand one day.”
