Our story in many ways is like the millions of adoptive parents, who for a variety of reasons cannot or choose not to naturally bear their own children. Some have fertility problems, are beyond child bearing age, or have had serious health issues and cannot conceive. My wife Rita had a medical condition and we were advised by physicians not to bear children.


But that didn’t stop us from having a family. It became Rita's passion to get a master list of adoption attorneys in Jacksonville. She then thoughtfully implemented a program to adopt a baby. She called all the offices, became friends with the receptionists, and dropped off flowers and candy. She was tenacious in her efforts. Finally in late 1984 she heard from Joseph Black, Esq. and his son Peter Black, Esq. Mr. Black called us and said he had made contact with a woman who was pregnant with our first baby. On March 8, 1985 Erin Rocky Montour was born at St. Vincent’s Hospital in the Riverside area of Jacksonville.

A few months later, Mr. Black called and said he had another baby for us. Ryan Andrew Montour was born on February 10, 1986. Our third adopted child Megan Lee Montour was born on July 8, 1987. Our fourth adopted child is Mason Gary Montour, born on November 25, 2004. Mason is actually my grandson; however, he is my son and one of my best friends now.

Life was a real challenge raising three children within 27 months of age of each other. I was just starting out my commercial real estate business in the early 1980’s. I had become active as a deacon at my church. While enjoying life and thriving in my business, I heard an interview on January 30, 2019 where Governor Ralph Northam stated that “A baby born alive could be kept comfortable and then resuscitated if that’s what the mother and family desire.” He was referencing babies born with severe abnormalities. The next impacting statement that still reverberates in my mind is when Chief Justice Sonia Sotomayor made the statement, “When does the life of a woman and putting her at risk enter the calculation?” I knew then that I needed to write a story and have the baby talking to his mother in the womb.

Another major event that motivated me to do something was when I read Abby Johnston’s book called Unplanned. Abby had worked for Planned Parenthood for eight years and then participated in an abortion procedure as the assistant to the abortion doctor. That wasn't something in her normal job responsibilities and she quit after that event. She felt compelled to write her book, which brought awareness to the situation. It was also turned into a motion picture. Most importantly, it got the word out that abortion clinics are less than honorable.

The last event that put me on the course to start the grassroots movement of “Mama Let Me Live” was my daughter Megan’s Instagram post in 2018. Megan wrote the sweetest post thanking her birth mom for giving her a chance to live and now be the mother of four children. The Mama Let Me Live movement honors those unplanned pregnant moms who gave birth knowing they were going to give up their babies for adoption, and mobilizes 100 million Adoption Club members – adoptive father, mother, and related family. When we meet an unplanned pregnant mom and find out she is undecided about what to do, we can talk to her about her options and do it in a loving and compassionate way.