In September, Live Action News reported on a troubling story involving Mark Hamill, best known for his role as Luke Skywalker in the Star Wars saga.
A former girlfriend of Mark’s son Nathan Hamill, Maegan Chen — who was pregnant with Nathan’s baby — claimed she was facing pressure from both Nathan and Mark to abort the baby. According to Chen, Nathan threatened to break up with her if she did not abort the baby, and Mark told her she “shouldn’t bring a child into the world that nobody wants.” When Chen refused to abort, Mark’s wife Marilou reportedly told her in an email, “Meagan, you blew it.”
However, since that time, LifeSiteNews reports that the baby has been born, and she is doing well. Maegan named her daughter Autumn.
Earlier this year, Chen told her story in an interview with LifeSiteNews. In the interview, Chen claimed that Nathan continued to pressure her to abort baby Autumn even after she refused. Part of the reason Chen refused the abortion is that she had been through an abortion before, and says it left her feeling “suicidal and depressed for a long time afterwards.”
Chen is not alone in her abortion regret, as many women report facing suicidal thoughts, depression, and heartbreaking results after an abortion. Lori Nerad spoke of her own experience: “I still have nightmares in which I am forced to watch my baby being ripped apart in front of me. I simply miss my baby. I constantly wake up wanting to nurse my child, wanting to hold my child. And that’s something the doctor never told me I would experience.”
Women like Nerad and Chen are beginning to realize that speaking out about their abortions may help other women who are considering what to do in their own pregnancies. Another woman, Megan Rhoades, explained that “while abortion is marketed as a quick fix, as a ‘right,’ as a perfectly acceptable ‘choice,’ it has very real consequences that go beyond the loss of the life of a child (which is huge).”
Despite Chen’s wishes not to abort, she says that after facing continued pressure from the Hamills, she gave in and agreed to an abortion. LifeSiteNews reports that a surgical abortion was scheduled, but communication issues prevented the procedure. Chen said she then chose a medical abortion, and took the abortion pill. Later, she learned that the abortion had failed; her baby was still alive. (Incidentally, medical abortions can fail, and they can also be reversed.)
Chen claimed that, following this incident, pressure to abort from the Hamills persisted, but this time, she held firm in her refusal. Chen said that when she suggested adoption as an alternative to abortion, Nathan called the suggestion “selfish.” Mark and Marilou allegedly continued trying to persuade her as well, telling her that getting an abortion was the best option.
In her interview with LifeSiteNews, Chen shared some advice for pregnant women in similar situations. “I would recommend them being honest with the doctors in the back about what’s really going on.” “Abortion will never be for me,” she continued, “as I found out when I went through the first surgical one that I had. I shouldn’t have even let Nathan pressure me into taking the abortion pill, but I felt terrified at the thought of being abandoned while pregnant.”
Earlier this year, Chen filed suit to establish paternity and collect support from Nathan.
Editor’s Note: If you are a woman experiencing pressure to have an abortion, please see this resource for an explanation of your options, or call, text, or email your local pregnancy center, this group, or this hotline (866-889-6626) for help. If you have had an abortion, and are looking for resources to heal, please go here.
