October 31, 2003
'Letters to Gabriel' shares mother's story of life, death
by Jennifer Brinker, Review Staff Writer
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- LOVING LETTERS - In 'Letters to Gabriel,' Karen Garver Santorum, wife of U. S. Sen. Rick Santorum, R-Pa., shares a series of letters she wrote to her infant son, Gabriel Michael. The child, diagnosed with posterior urethral valve, was born at 20 weeks old and lived for only two hours.
When Karen Garver Santorum began writing letters to her unborn son in 1996, never did she imagine they would become the focus of a book.
Santorum’s son, Gabriel Michael, was born with a fatal defect five months before his due date and lived for two hours. Her 1998 book, "Letters to Gabriel," shares the heartfelt letters Santorum wrote to her son during her pregnancy — and for a year after his birth and death — and how she dealt with the grieving process.
The book also reflects on her husband, Sen. Rick Santorum, R-Pa., and his fight to ban partial-birth abortion, which was going on at the same time.
The Santorums were in St. Louis earlier this month at the annual archdiocesan Pro-Life Convention, where they delivered a keynote speech. Karen Santorum also took time to speak to the Review about "Letters to Gabriel."
"It was difficult to publish," Santorum said of the book.
She added that it was the encouragement of her parents that led her to publish the letters. "But I really believe God wanted me to do this, and it has been a benefit to so many. We have received thousands of letters."
In the book’s introduction, Santorum wrote, "I offer no theories, no analysis of grief, no simple solutions to human loss and suffering. I offer only this — the story of my son and the sword that pierced my heart." In letters to Gabriel, Santorum shares her joy of finding out she was pregnant with Gabriel Michael, and the heartache when a doctor told her 19 weeks into the pregnancy that the couple’s son would not survive.
"With your sisters and brothers present in the room and without the slightest trace of compassion or emotion, the radiologist studied the screen for a moment and said, ‘Your baby has a fatal defect and is going to die,’" Santorum wrote.
Gabriel Michael had posterior urethral valve, a condition in which a baby is not able to empty the fluid from his or her bladder, because of a valve in the urinary system that is not able to open. Fluid from the bladder empties into the amniotic sac surrounding the baby.
At the same time of her pregnancy, Santorum’s husband was leading the fight to ban partial-birth abortion. In "Letters to Gabriel," Karen Santorum wrote about how she watched the Senate debate on partial-birth abortion during her pregnancy.
Just days before she found out Gabriel Michael had a defect, Karen Santorum recalled how she heard one senator during the debate say, "No member of this Senate can face the trauma that is represented by the issue of late-term abortion."
Later, after Gabriel Michael’s death, Santorum wrote, "Will your Daddy’s arguments be more authentic and believable and persuasive now that he’s ‘been there?’"
Rick Santorum said that a copy of "Letters to Gabriel" was given to every U.S. senator.
"There were two ‘pro-choice’ senators — who are no longer in the Senate — who I know were really touched," by the book, he said. "We really hope it has had an impact."
"Letters to Gabriel" is published by CCC of America and retails for $14.99. It is available at area bookstores