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* Rep. Gregg Johnson (D-East Moline) received a sustained standing ovation last night after delivering this speech during debate on Senate Bill 1909, a bill to expand the Consumer Fraud Act to protect individuals from deceptive practices by crisis pregnancy centers…
Back in September of 2021, shortly after I announced my candidacy for the seat, I was approached by a local activist who asked if I’d be willing to tell the story at an upcoming women’s rights event of a 33-year-old mother from Rock Island that died six months prior to the Roe v. Wade decision due to preeclampsia.
I agreed, under the condition that all three of her kids would meet and allow me to give an accurate picture of the story. The oldest daughter was 11 at the time of her mother’s death, and was the only one of the kids with any memory of their mother’s story. The son, who was eight, had no memory of his mother, and the youngest daughter was only 15 months old at the time of the mother’s passing.
The mother’s name was Shirley Hunter. And with each pregnancy, she suffered through life-threatening preeclampsia. She gave birth to her third child, a baby girl, in April of 1971. She was told that she would not survive another pregnancy. In January of 1972, she found out that she was pregnant and began to contemplate just what would become of her kids were she to die.
The world was much, much different then. Earning money for a single mother was incredibly difficult. But she scrimped and she saved and she refused to take her medication to save on costs. But she was finally able to save enough money to go to New York. New York at that time was the only place where you could get a legal and safe abortion in our country. But by the time she got there, she was told she was too far along and nothing can be done.
She returned home to Rock Island with essentially a death sentence. The older sister talked about how her mother had spent her last Fourth of July with the kids watching the fireworks and eating ice cream, knowing that it would be her last. She died nine days later.
Kathy, the sister, talked about how she only found out a few days later at the funeral home that the man that she had called Dad for as early as she could remember and the father of the other two was actually not her biological father. And she was taken away from the funeral home kicking and screaming as she was torn away from her siblings and went to live with her father and a new family. She never lived with her siblings again.
The younger sister, Tracy, she talked about how she went through life. Always feeling like everyone viewed her as a little girl that lost her mom and never be at peace about knowing her past. The son had spent 49 years running from the past and was unwilling to confront it. He had absolutely no memory of his mother. And it bothers him to this day that he cannot remember the sound of her voice in times of crisis or even what she looked like the first eight years of his life are wiped clean.
But this story is about Shirley and the moments that she missed in her childrens’ lives. The fact that she was never given the opportunity to pick them up when they fell down or to give them praise when they succeeded. She wasn’t there when her oldest daughter graduated from nursing school and started a 40-year career in taking care of others or when she herself became a mother and grandmother. She wasn’t there when our youngest daughter became the best community organizer that I’ve ever seen, nor to see her become a parent.
She also wasn’t there to help her when the daughter herself became pregnant at an early age and attended one of these clinics and was surrounded by employees with a clinic that offered her nothing but group prayer and disturbing pictures.
Nor was she there to see her little boy win his first race or make his biggest first basket. Nor was she able to guide him along the nearly 40-year journey for him to find purpose in his life. Finally, she was not there in January of this year, when her son was sworn into the 103 General Assembly of this chamber.
Shirley Hunter was my mother and these girls were my sisters, and our lives were thrown into chaos, because our mother had no other option than to die and leave us. An increasingly activist Supreme Court has created a situation in which countless more families just like ours will be thrown into chaos and women and families all over the world will experience the same grief and trauma that ours did.
I am honored to serve along with 117 other members of this house. And I absolutely believe I would not be here had not the experience of my life form my social core. All that being said, I would trade every one, every day here and every day of the last 50 years if I’d had my mother to walk along me on my path through life.
I want to thank the sponsor for this bill.
Prior to last June, I was at least cognizant of the fact that this was never going to happen to any other little girls and the other eight-year-old boy and the other women. I can’t say that anymore. I now worry about our future going forward. And I will also tell you that it has been painful the last year and a half. Every single time I tell this story, it takes a chunk out me. It does. But this is important. It’s important work we do here. For just the rest of the day I’ll probably still feel like that eight-year-old lonely boy. But tomorrow, we go back to work, tonight we go back to work, and that work includes protecting women and their ability to make their own health care decisions. Thank you.
Please pardon all transcription errors.
posted by Isabel Miller
Thursday, May 11, 23 @ 8:59 am
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Powerful
Comment by Red Ketcher Thursday, May 11, 23 @ 9:05 am
I watched the entire speech last night and it was incredibly compelling, personal and terrifically sad. The pushback on the bill, by comparison, was by and large petty, obnoxious and self-important.
Comment by Quill Thursday, May 11, 23 @ 9:06 am
Heartbreaking. Sadly, the people who need to hear this won’t listen.
Comment by JoanP Thursday, May 11, 23 @ 9:10 am
Thank you Mary Flowers for voting present
Comment by Go It Alone Thursday, May 11, 23 @ 9:11 am
Thank you Rep Johnson for sharing your family’s story. It took a chunk out of me just reading it, so I can’t imagine how painful it is for you to relate it. Thank you Rich for highlighting it.
Comment by Earnest Thursday, May 11, 23 @ 9:14 am
Reading Rep. Johnson’s speech made me cry. Then it made me proud to be an Illinoisan, where legislators work to fight the deceptive practices of “crisis pregnancy centers.”
Comment by Democrat Grrrl Thursday, May 11, 23 @ 9:14 am
Very brave to share. Thank you Rep.
Comment by Dan Johnson Thursday, May 11, 23 @ 9:14 am
Has Mary Flowers explained why she didn’t vote to support this?
Comment by Lincoln Lad Thursday, May 11, 23 @ 9:22 am
=== Thank you Rich===
Isabel did all the work and it’s her post.
Comment by Rich Miller Thursday, May 11, 23 @ 9:24 am
== and that work includes protecting women and their ability to make their own health care decisions==
That’s the crux of the argument. They should have a right to make their own decisions. Unfortunately we have people who want to stick their noses into a personal medical decision because they think they know what’s best for other people and they believe it is their business to tell someone what medical decisions they should have to make. I’d be happy if all of these places were completely shut down.
Comment by Demoralized Thursday, May 11, 23 @ 9:28 am
Thanks for sharing. This shows how denying abortion can wreck havoc for a lifetime. As others have said, it’ll fall on deaf ears.
Comment by Sir Reel Thursday, May 11, 23 @ 9:31 am
Zero to add. Powerful.
Thank you representive and Isabel
Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, May 11, 23 @ 9:34 am
All session, Rep. Johnson has been emerging as one of the most impressive members of this freshman class of legislators.
Comment by Linus Thursday, May 11, 23 @ 9:35 am
Thank you for sharing that story, brave. Act in the best interests of the living, breathing woman.
Comment by Amalia Thursday, May 11, 23 @ 9:37 am
Thank you, Rep. Johnson, for sharing your painful story and for giving us a chance to know and honor your mother Shirley. I will remember her this Mother’s Day. You have reminded us all that the women who need comprehensive health care are real people with families who love them. Their health and wellbeing should be our first priority.
Comment by Andrea Durbin Thursday, May 11, 23 @ 9:38 am
“…and that little
girlboy was me.”Kamala HarrisGregg JohnsonOn a serious note, I am incredibly grateful that Representative Johnson shared this story. This is why we, as a society, need to have access to abortions. While some may hear this story and argue “oh, we’ll just add a life of the mother exemption,” it ignores the realities that such a narrow exemption would leave numerous women in the position of the late Mrs. Hunter.
Comment by Nuke The Whales Thursday, May 11, 23 @ 9:41 am
TBH I teared up a bit. Beyond powerful.
Comment by Near West Side Thursday, May 11, 23 @ 9:42 am
After my last pregnancy, my Catholic hospital told me that I would die if I got pregnant again, and there was no way I would get far enough in the pregnancy for the fetus to survive.
Nevertheless, they would not prescribe me birth control.
Comment by Suburban Mom Thursday, May 11, 23 @ 9:43 am
This testimony touched me. These horrible pregnancy centers also do not know or make a practice of referrals for adoption. We asked when we were searching for our child, and were met with blank stares
Comment by education first Thursday, May 11, 23 @ 9:49 am
To just be as crass as possible about this, that Johnson, with his profile, demeanor, and district, can get up their and make this incredibly powerful argument…
…shows how this issue can touch everyone, and the people who thought Dobbs was irrelevant or “baked in” or whatever just really missed the politics of the moment.
And Johnson, of course, is a man. I am too, but every time I talk to a woman about Dobbs, I am surprised at how fast their rage boils over.
Comment by Arsenal Thursday, May 11, 23 @ 9:51 am
Amen brother
Comment by walker Thursday, May 11, 23 @ 9:53 am
Differences of opinion obviously not wanted on this page.
Comment by Soapbox Derby Thursday, May 11, 23 @ 10:47 am
Well done.
Comment by MikeMacD Thursday, May 11, 23 @ 10:54 am
I applaud his courage…and rage against male legislators from other states who spitefully take away choice from pregnant women.
Comment by Jocko Thursday, May 11, 23 @ 11:05 am
Powerful. Thank you, Rep Johnson.
Comment by Squirrel Thursday, May 11, 23 @ 11:12 am
===obviously not wanted===
Yeah, blaming women who accidentally get pregnant for their resulting deaths is, as incredible as it might sound to you, not appreciated.
Comment by Rich Miller Thursday, May 11, 23 @ 11:15 am
Some opinions are different …some are vile…and should not be repeated.
Comment by Dotnonymous Thursday, May 11, 23 @ 11:25 am
=Differences of opinion obviously not wanted on this page.=
Childish opinions obviously not wanted on this page.
Fixed it for you.
Bravo Representative Johnson.
The July 4th story hit me hard. Sublime and tragic at the same time.
Comment by JS Mill Thursday, May 11, 23 @ 12:00 pm
For years abortion providers told the lie that it is just a clump of cells but in the eyes of Illinois legislators that lie would be acceptable because it fits their agenda. We know that it is a scientific fact that a human life begins at conception but Illinois Legislators would consider that a falsehood. Somehow calling the the human life according to its stage of development(such as embryo or zygote) of a human life somehow makes it acceptable to end that human life which is wrong.
Comment by Arock Thursday, May 11, 23 @ 12:27 pm
=== We know that it is a scientific fact that a human life begins at conception===
Opinion, not fact.
Otherwise the “heart beat” laws don’t recognize conception, and they are the most stringent
Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, May 11, 23 @ 12:33 pm
=For years abortion providers told the lie that it is just a clump of cells but in the eyes of Illinois legislators that lie would be acceptable because it fits their agenda.=
Have you ever been to a clinic to get an abortion and heard this?
I accompanied my girlfriend to planned parenthood and then for an abortion. No one, and any stage. said anything even remotely like that.
They were very honest and compassionate at a very difficult time in our lives. The most difficult I have ever experienced, and decades later I still think about it.
I don’t think your statement is honest.
Comment by JS Mill Thursday, May 11, 23 @ 12:33 pm
So moving and so incredibly courageous for Rep. Johnson to tell his story.
Thank you.
Comment by Because I Said So…. Thursday, May 11, 23 @ 12:50 pm
@Arock
That is your opinion. Your opinion, though, does not give you a right to demand what choice someone makes with regard to their own pregnancy. It’s absolutely none of your business.
Comment by Demoralized Thursday, May 11, 23 @ 12:53 pm
I am old enough to remember when “conservatives” were yelling “my body, my choice.”
Last Year.
Don’t tell me they were just trolling (banned punctuation)
Comment by JS Mill Thursday, May 11, 23 @ 1:26 pm
=== We know that it is a scientific fact that a human life begins at conception===
What are you even talking about? What makes that “life”?
Comment by Suburban Mom Thursday, May 11, 23 @ 1:30 pm
@Arock- Still waiting for your answer.
Comment by JS Mill Thursday, May 11, 23 @ 4:00 pm
Thank you Rep. Johnson for telling the truth of the suffering millions of faceless and nameless women have been forced to endure by anti-choice laws, policies and politicians. May the majority of pro-choice voters continue to reward these misogynist legislators and candidates with further reducing their numbers in the IL General Assembly and every other office in 2024 and beyond until they are an ugly footnote in history. We can’t hasten that day quickly enough.
Comment by Cosgrove Thursday, May 11, 23 @ 4:12 pm
==Differences of opinion obviously not wanted on this page.==
Obviously you haven’t been on the page much.
Comment by low level Thursday, May 11, 23 @ 7:41 pm
=== We know that it is a scientific fact that a human life begins at conception===
“Life science textbooks from traditional publishers don’t explicitly state when life begins, because that is a question not only of biology, but of philosophy, politics, psychology, religion, technology, and emotions.” The article then goes on to provide 17 possible time points for where life might begin.
https://dnascience.plos.org/2013/10/03/when-does-a-human-life-begin-17-timepoints/
Comment by Pot calling kettle Thursday, May 11, 23 @ 10:33 pm
Thank you to Rep Gregg Johnson! The speech was powerful and almost brought me to tears, and unfortunate that anyone has to tell this story. Access to care and making your own decisions, while demanding that those in pregnancy crisis centers are held to the truth, is not an unreasonable ask. I commend my seatmate Rep Johnson’s bravery, because this is not an easy story to tell, especially for such a caring, good hearted, emotional person like Gregg and one of the most genuine guys I have ever met.
Comment by Harry Benton Friday, May 12, 23 @ 10:14 pm