Italian actor and comedian Andrea Roncato starred on the Italian show Verissimo and gave a moving pro-life testimony. According to Aleteia, he told the show host,
“I miss having a child. It was the mistake of my life. When I was very young, I had the chance to become a father, to have a child, but I had him aborted. Now, I’ve become very strongly against abortion. I even wrote a book for this child who was never born, titled I Would Have Liked You.”
Roncato, now in his 70s, has come to regret his choice to have his child aborted, and in mourning, wrote this poem (translated from the Italian of his book mentioned earlier) to his son:
“I would have liked you to be small, so I could hug you.
I would have liked you to be big, so I could lean on you.
I would have liked you to be looking out the window in winter, watching the snow begin to fall.
I would have liked you to be lying under the covers during a storm, silent so you could hear the sound of the rainfall.
I would have liked you to be kind to dogs, so you could pet them,
and affectionate with the elderly, so you could love them.
I would have liked you to be handsome, so I could brag about you,
with big eyes, like your mother’s.
I would have liked to sing to you, to make you fall asleep, and continue the dream that woke you up.
I would have liked you to be shy, so I could see you blush,
and stubborn, so I could argue with you.
I would have liked you to be at my side, so the two of us could walk in silence,
trying to understand what the other was thinking inside and couldn’t manage to say.
I would have liked to teach you all the things I don’t know how to do.
I would have liked you to leave someday, so I could have the pleasure of seeing you come back home.
I would have liked you to experience your first love.
I would have liked you near me on the day I must leave this world.
I wish I had wanted you, that time when I didn’t want you …”
Roncato is now a strong advocate for life, and is on the journey of healing. His story though, is one of many stories of fathers being deeply effected by abortion. Men feel the emotional toll of losing a child just as much as women.
If you or someone you know is struggling with post-abortive regret, know that you are not alone. You can call or text the National Post Abortion Hotline at (844)289-4673, or visit your local pregnancy center for more resources on finding healing.
Photo credit: Mauro Fagiani | NurPhoto | AFP
College student, Catholic, journalist, and writer. Jeremiah 1:15. Passionate about all life, from conception to natural death, no matter what.
