St. Joseph High School mom recounts March for Life experience in Washington

Nearly three dozen people from the Alle-Kiski Valley took a whirlwind trip to Washington, D.C., on Friday to attend the yearly March for Life on the National Mall.

The locals, which included students from St. Joseph High School in Natrona Heights, Harrison, were among the tens of thousands that attended the annual anti-abortion event that advocates for overturning Roe v. Wade, the Supreme Court decision that legalized abortion nationwide.

“We met people that had come from Texas, Oregon, Minnesota, Florida — they all came on buses,” said Laura Huth of Gilpin, who traveled to the march with her three daughters, the oldest of whom is a freshman at St. Joseph. “We met one guy from Texas who left on Tuesday to come to the march.”

The Washington Post reported pockets of pro-choice counter-protesters, though Huth said there was an air of joyousness and camaraderie.

“When you think of all those people there, we didn’t meet one nasty person,” she said.

President Donald Trump addressed the demonstrators, marking the first time a sitting president has attended the rally in person.

“Today as President of the United States, I am truly proud to stand with you,” he said, according to The Associated Press. “Unborn children have never had a stronger defender in the White House.”

Huth called hearing the president speak “amazing.”

Democratic Louisiana state Sen. Katrina Jackson told the Washington Post prior to the rally that while she doesn’t agree with Trump’s policies and penchant for insults, she was thrilled he attended.

“We finally have a sitting president at the March for Life,” she told the paper. “It doesn’t make him the face of it. It sets a precedent for future presidents to speak. It’s my prayer the president’s attendance doesn’t make it look partisan.”

Huth said her group’s day began with 5:30 a.m. Mass, and they were on the bus headed south by 6 a.m. She said it’s her fifth year attending the march and her oldest daughter Kathryn’s third or fourth. Her two younger daughters attended as well.

“We spend so much time learning about our faith, but participating in acts of charity and advocacy allows us to live our faith,” she said. “Going to the March for Life gives us the opportunity to advocate for those without a voice.”