As is often the case, the baby’s birth “brought my family together” again, added Kolerok-Schott, whose parents returned to her after a long absence.
The young mother and baby continued on with their Catholic Social Services family until she was able to secure a stable job and they could be on their own.
'Vital' pregnancy support
Kolerok-Schott never forgot how Catholic Social Services had come to her aid during her “darkest hour.” Across the years, she has worked and saved to give something back to the organization that helped save her and her baby – and helped keep them together.
“I am so thankful to God,” Kolerok-Schott said of Catholic Social Services.
“He showed me his true love through Catholic Social Services and showed me that there are true Christians out there who are Catholic,” she added.
Kolerok-Schott believes the type of support she received from Catholic Social Services is “vital” to pregnant girls in crisis.
“There are so many people out there, so many young kids out there who are just like me,” she observed. They need to know there are people who will help them, she explained – whether they place their child for adoption or choose to parent.
“Pregnancy support doesn’t exist to support women that are making only the plan of adoption,” said Catholic Social Services executive director Susan Bomalaski.
“We want to support all women who’ve chosen a life option for their unborn child in whatever way they want,” she continued. That may entail providing a mentor family, housing support or diapers. But right now and with its current staffing, Catholic Social Services can’t provide the “full spectrum of services,” said Bomalaski, without greater financial and volunteer help from the community.
Alaskans have begun to feel the pinch of lost jobs, static wages and rising costs, she noted. As a result, giving to the social services agency is down 20 percent.
(Story continues below)
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Happy endings
But funding and volunteers translate to positive outcomes.
Kolerok-Schott is married, has a second child, and works as a realtor. Her son – who was conceived, born and expected by some to grow up in turmoil and poverty – is now 28-year-old Christopher Kolerok, graduate of University of Alaska, Anchorage, a worldwide college debate champion and recent Master’s Degree graduate of Harvard University.
He also is engaged to marry UAA senior Michaela Hernandez, a parishioner of Our Lady of Guadalupe Church in Anchorage. For Kolerok-Schott, who was helped by Catholics 28 years ago, it comes “full circle” that her son marries a “beautiful, beautiful Catholic girl!”
She sees her son’s joy as part of a happy ending that she believes every young, pregnant teen deserves to find for herself and her baby.
Kolerok-Schott hopes her story will encourage other young, pregnant, teenage girls to choose life for their babies. She wants them to know “that there is hope out there, and if I can do this, then they can do this, too, and that God will always be with them, and to always make the right decision.”