Kentucky Faces Grief and Finds Hope: From Tragic Loss to Historic First
From Laura Strietmann, Executive Director, Cincinnati Right to Life
Though abortion is illegal in he Bluegrass State, cars still cross into Ohio, where Cincinnati Right to Life’s team of sidewalk advocates witness the heartbreak as the Kentucky cars enter Planned Parenthood one after another. Last week’s death of a baby boy shocks the nation and calls for real support for moms and protection for life.
Kentucky has been grappling with both sorrow and celebration in the past week. The state was shaken by the devastating news that a University of Kentucky student allegedly hid the body of her newborn son in a closet. Authorities continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding the infant’s death, but so far the autopsy results remain inconclusive. Questions also linger about the child’s paternity, with the student’s boyfriend having provided a DNA sample as part of the investigation.
For many, the tragedy is a painful reminder of the struggles young women can face in times of crisis, and of the fragility of life itself. It also underscores how a culture of death is reaching more boldly into the lives of young people, shaping their choices and challenges.
Yet, even as the state mourns, another story has emerged to bring light and encouragement to Kentuckians.
That story comes from Adriana Rodriguez, crowned the first Miss Kentucky to compete for the Miss America crown that was raised in the foster care system. Rodriguez is not only making history for the Commonwealth, but also carrying a deeply personal testimony of resilience. Having grown up in foster care, she knows firsthand the challenges faced by children in difficult circumstances. Now, she is using her platform to inspire.
Rodriguez, a twenty-year-old social work and psychology major at the University of Kentucky, was placed in foster care with her siblings as young children. She has shared that she lived in 20 different homes and attended a dozen different school systems growing up. “Louisville, Lexington, Nelson County, Meade County, Russell Springs, Adair, Columbia, Taylor — we’ve lived everywhere,” she said, noting that at age 16, she even spent time living out of her car. Her mother faced homelessness and drug addiction but is now sober.
On Instagram, Rodriguez shared her heart with her supporters as she prepared for the Miss America stage: “As the first alumni of the foster care system to compete for Miss America, I carry with me not just my story, but the strength, resilience, and hope of so many others. This moment is bigger than a title. It’s proof that your past does not define your future, that beauty can rise from ashes, and that the Miss America Opportunity truly belongs to every young woman with a dream.”
Her words strike a powerful chord, especially in a week where Kentucky has been reminded of both loss and the possibility of redemption. While tragedy cannot be erased, Rodriguez’s story offers proof that hope endures, that adversity can be overcome, and that from the most difficult beginnings can come triumph. Life wins.
In this moment, Kentucky is holding two realities at once: sorrow for a life lost and for a mother who did not lean on the enormous support for life available in the Commonwealth—from maternity homes and safe-haven baby boxes to pregnancy care centers ready to walk with women in need. At the same time, there is gratitude for a life that shines as an example in Adriana Rodriguez.
Together, these stories testify to a deeper truth—that every life carries possibility, every life is sacred, and every life is made by our Creator with a plan and a purpose.