AUGUST 18, 2026

“No one can serve two masters; they will either hate the one and love the other or be devoted to the one and despise the other.”

–St. Michael.

Life is God’s gift to us. We owe it to him to treat it as precious, and be grateful for His Blessing.

“I realize how precious life is, probably because I’ve seen how it can taken away.”

–Actor Pierce Brosnan.

“Life is precious.  Life is sacred.  And it ought so to be observed.”

–Gordon B. Hinkley.

“We want to help loving moms and dads bring precious life into this world.”

–Senator Katie Britt (R. Al.).

“Any country that accepts abortion is not teaching its people to love but to use violence to get what they want.”

–Mother Teresa.

McKenna West, an Alaskan nurse and single mother of two, served as the surrogate for Nausheen Gilkar and Omar Ahmed of Los Angeles, California.  At 20 weeks, the little baby she was carrying was diagnosed with hypoplastic left heart syndrome, a rare condition that requires a series of surgeries beginning in the first weeks of life but is treatable.

The contracting parents instructed McKenna West to abort the child.  They did not want to have a child that was anything but perfect.  They were willing to have their child murdered, even if, he could be easily treated, and would grow up normally.

McKenna West refused the contracting parents’ instructions.  Instead she fled her Alaska home, and went to Texas where she gave birth to a son, whom she named Gabriel. 

The contracting parents went straight to a California judge, who predictably granted them custody of Gabriel.  Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton (R.) went to court to ensure that Gabriel would receive the necessary life saving surgery.

And now the custody battle begins.  California awarded custody to the contracting parents, Nausheen Gilkar and Omar Ahmed.  Texas law would seem to determine that McKenna West is Gabriel’s mother, and should have custody.

On one side, we have the woman who gave birth to Gabriel, and who acted to ensure his health and safety.  On the other side, we have the contracting parents who wanted to murder Gabriel, but now contend that he is their son, pursuant to the surrogacy contract, and they want custody.  What the courts ultimately decide is anyone’s guess.  But what is the right thing to do?

The Observations submits that Gabriel should be with McKenna West.  Leaving aside the legalities, the politics, and the societal views of surrogacy, IVF, and other methods of artificial child bearing, the truth of the matter is that McKenna West not only gave birth to Gabriel, she loved him enough to refuse orders to murder him, and acted to protect his life. 

This situation’s resolution lies analogously to King Solomon’s decision to “split the baby” (literally), in the face of 2 mothers claiming to be the child’s parent.  One claimant mother acquiesced in the King’s decision, while the other claimant mother decried the decision, and begged the King to award the other woman the child.  At that point, the claimant mothers revealed themselves, and King Solomon awarded the child to the woman who would give up the child in order to save his life.

Gabriel would not be alive if the contracting parents’ wishes had been honored.  He would be lying in a pool of medical waste, to be discarded in the trash.  Gabriel is only alive because McKenna West maintained the courage and love to defy the contracting parents’ demands, the societal pressure to exercise a woman’s choice; and a California judge who ruled against her.  McKenna West gave birth to Gabriel.  McKenna West saved Gabriel’s life.  McKenna West is Gabriel’s mother.  That is the proper solution, and no other.

GFK