The family of Adriana Smith, a 30-year-old pregnant nurse who was declared brain-dead earlier this year but kept on life support to preserve her unborn baby, has shared a heartbreaking update.
Adriana became unwell in February after suffering from severe headaches. At the time, she was around nine weeks pregnant and already a devoted mother to a seven-year-old son.
Just one day after being discharged from the hospital, Adriana’s boyfriend awoke to find her gasping for air. She was rushed back to the hospital, where doctors discovered blood clots in her brain, as reported by The Guardian.
Declared brain-dead, which the Cleveland Clinic defines as a diagnosis that indicates irreversible loss of brain function, Adriana was placed on life support to maintain circulation for the sake of her developing fetus.
Due to Georgia's strict abortion laws, which ban termination once a fetal heartbeat is detected, doctors were legally prohibited from disconnecting her from life support. Instead, her body was sustained as an incubator, with the aim of bringing the pregnancy to viability in August.
The decision sparked emotional appeals from Adriana's family, who pleaded for privacy to mourn. However, Emory University Hospital in Atlanta maintained its course, stating that its actions were based on medical standards and state laws. "Our top priorities continue to be the safety and wellbeing of the patients we serve," the hospital said in a statement.
Adriana's unborn baby, lovingly named "Chance" by her family, faced significant medical challenges. Adriana’s mother, April Newkirk, expressed concern over his survival and the potential for serious disabilities due to his premature development, per NBC News.
After four months of life support, Chance was delivered via C-section on June 13, at just 27 weeks gestation. He weighed 538 grams (less than two pounds) and was immediately placed in neonatal intensive care. While his condition was fragile, doctors reported that he was stable.
"Baby Chance is doing good. Keep praying. It’s very early," Ms. Newkirk wrote in an emotional update just days after the birth (via The Mirror). “I’m going to be strong, but I’m hurting so bad inside.”
Following the delivery, life support was withdrawn, and Adriana’s body was released to her grieving family.
Her family has revealed they will livestream her funeral as a heartfelt thank-you to the many people who supported her journey.
Her funeral is scheduled for Saturday, June 28, and will be livestreamed so supporters from around the world can join the family in saying their final goodbyes. The decision was made to acknowledge the immense public support the family received during their ordeal.
On the family’s GoFundMe page, which has raised over $445,000 of a $490,000 target to help cover medical expenses, Ms. Newkirk expressed deep gratitude: "For everyone around the world, I am very grateful and thankful for your support. Adriana Smith’s funeral will be livestreamed, and as soon as I get the link, I will share it for everyone to join me and my family. To say our final farewell, until we meet again, my daughter."
She added: "Please continue to pray for me and my family. I will update Monday about baby Chance."
Adriana’s story has drawn global attention and renewed debate around reproductive rights and the impact of post-Roe v. Wade abortion laws.
Since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the landmark decision in 2022, Georgia’s LIFE Act has banned abortion after approximately six weeks, before many women even realize they’re pregnant, The Atlantic explained.
Her case has become a flashpoint in the broader conversation about women's autonomy, end-of-life decisions, and the unintended consequences of restrictive abortion laws in the United States.