WASHINGTON — When Marisa D’Alessio was born prematurely, doctors warned her mother she might not survive — or might never live an everyday life.
Today, the Bay Ridge resident and St. Anselm parishioner credits her faith for her survival — a story that brought her to Washington for the March for Life.
“My mother was praying for me, and the nurses lit candles. I made a miraculous recovery, and I came out perfectly normal,” she said. “My mom always said, ‘God has a plan for your life. You have to find out what God’s plan is, because he saved your life at birth.’ ”
D’Alessio said her own story leaves a special place in her heart for the unborn babies she and thousands of others pray for every year at the March for Life. This year marked her second time attending.
“I think every woman should be able to turn to God and ask for the strength to keep her baby,” she said. “Babies are precious and true sources of love.”
In addition to her advocacy for life, D’Alessio channels her gratitude and faith into poetry — a practice she said has helped her through personal loss and ongoing mental health challenges. She has been writing since childhood and is working on a book centered on faith, family, and resilience.
For her, the March for Life is not only a public witness, but also a deeply personal act of prayer and thanksgiving rooted in her belief that every life has purpose.
“God saved my life,” she said. “I have faith that he loves me so very much, so I‘m dedicating my writing and my book to God and to give thanks for my life.”