A tragic case in Georgia has renewed national debate about the impact of strict abortion laws. Earlier this year, 31-year-old nurse Adriana Smith experienced a sudden medical crisis while in the early weeks of pregnancy. Doctors later determined she had suffered severe blood clots in her brain and, in May, declared her brain-dead.

However, because Georgia recognizes fetal “personhood” very early in pregnancy, medical staff were required to keep Adriana on life support. At the time, her fetus still showed cardiac activity, and state law prevented her family from choosing to withdraw care. For loved ones, this meant watching her death extend for weeks with no hope of recovery.

In June, doctors delivered her baby, a boy named Chance, through an emergency C-section. He weighed less than two pounds and was immediately placed in intensive care. Only after the delivery was Adriana removed from life support, allowing her family to hold a funeral and begin grieving.

Chance’s fight, however, continues. Adriana’s mother recently shared that he remains hospitalized and faces ongoing medical challenges due to extreme prematurity. Despite a few hopeful signs, his underdeveloped lungs require specialized care, and he will soon move to another hospital for additional support.

Meanwhile, Adriana’s seven-year-old son is adjusting to life without his mother while waiting for updates on his baby brother. A community fundraiser has raised more than half a million dollars to help the family manage growing expenses.

Adriana’s story has prompted difficult questions about how far legislation should shape medical decisions. For now, her family remains focused on one goal—giving Chance every possible opportunity to survive.