Samantha Snipes got pregnant at the age of 24 with an allegedly abusive partner. She hoped the new baby would create positive changes in their relationship, but says things only escalated during the pregnancy. In fact, she says he became physically abusive. Samantha knew it was time to leave him for good, but she didn't have much of a support network to which she could turn.
Terrified of her ex and three months pregnant, Samantha made the difficult decision to place her baby for adoption. Because she was applying as a single woman, however, the adoption agencies kept rejecting her and her unborn baby. All she wanted was for her baby to find a loving and nurturing home, but instead she found the process completely discouraging.
Months later, Samantha booked a trip to North Carolina but ended up missing her flight. She didn't know it at the time, but fate was about to work its way into her life in the most incredible way.
Nervous and filled with anxiety, Samantha took the first available seat on the next available flight. She was seated beside a friendly woman named Temple Phipps. The pair made an instant connection, as if they were meant to meet on that very plane.
During the hour-long flight, Samantha told Temple all about her abusive partner, her pregnancy and her emotional journey through the adoption process. Temple told Samantha she'd always dreamt of having a child but never had the opportunity. As the flight came to an end, the pair of women exchanged phone numbers. Temple told Samantha to call her if she was ever in trouble or needed anything at all.
Samantha went into labor just three days later and gave birth to a healthy baby boy. But something still felt off; she didn't feel like a mother and she knew it wasn't fair to the baby.
So, the following day, Samantha pulled out Temple's phone number, took a deep breath and gave her a call. She told Temple she had the baby and simply needed to talk to someone.
Temple rushed to the hospital — but their story was just beginning.
