The Murder of Mads Mason Trueblood (The Justine Alpert story)

Actress Justene Alpert (known for her roles in The Lincoln Lawyer, 9-1-1, and Bosch has recently made headlines after announcing that she and her husband, Mason, chose to terminate the pregnancy of their first child.

In a letter she posted to Instagram, Justene explains that in December 2025 she and Mason were given the worst possible news imaginable. Their unborn child had a rare genetic disease, and he would not make it to full term.

Justene’s genetic specialist warned her of the fate she may endure if she did carry the baby full term; she was high risk. The specialist also told Justene and her husband that it was highly recommended that they terminate the pregnancy, and if they took the doctor’s advice, then they would have to do it quickly.

Terminate is a kinder word for the real word here, which is kill. The doctors suggested that Justene, a new mother, a wife, a daughter, a friend, and a beloved child of God, KILL her unborn child because of a rare genetic disease.

I have a rare genetic disease.

Ultrasounds told doctors and my parents that there was something wrong; they just didn’t know what.

Yet, my parents chose to keep me.

My parents chose life FOR me, not FOR them.

Whether I lived for a minute after my birth, my parents STILL would have chosen life.

This story, this news headline, this letter that Justene Alpert wrote sickened me, because as a person who was given the chance to live no matter the odds against me, I know that every child deserves that chance.

No child should have that choice taken away from them. Let alone by their own parents. A mother’s womb is supposed to be the first safe place a child should know; it shouldn’t be safe until the mother decides to end her own child’s life.

This precious baby boy got his life ripped away because of a diagnosis.

The most sickening part?

Justene and Mason spent time with this thought; they, in Justene’s words, ‘tried to savor Christmas and Christmas Eve’ and ‘took long walks on the beach as a family of 4.’ And the day they went into the hospital to end their child’s life, she recounts as ‘On December 29th we HAD to say goodbye to our son.’

They pretended to love their son all the while holding the knife in their own hands.

They pretended that there was no choice.

The choice is to leave the timing up to God, to leave the future up to God.

Doctors get things wrong. Doctors misdiagnose (I am living proof of that). Doctors don’t know the future – they can only offer their predictions from what they learn in school and through life. They can never know with certainty whether a baby with any kind of medical diagnosis will survive or what that child’s life will ultimately become.

I was misdiagnosed at birth with Cerebral Palsy when I really had Congenital Myotonic Dystrophy Type One. Living with Myotonic Dystrophy has not been easy, with countless doctor appointments, physical and mental challenges, and uncertainty. Yet, I am happy and grateful every single day that my parents chose life for me, even when they didn’t know what the future would hold.

The only one who knows the future? God.

The only one that should have a say in life and death? God.

During Post OP, Justene wrote that she repeated the words, “She is clothed in dignity and strength”.

There is nothing dignified or strong about a mother killing her child.

Deep down, I think that they knew the gravity of what they were doing, and now, they have to live with the heartbreak of that every day.

So, to Justene, whose parents chose life,

To Mason, whose parents chose life,

To the doctors who urged Justene and Mason to murder their own baby,

To the people commenting on her post praising her for bravery and courage, as they sit, alive…...,

There is a huge difference between your story and Baby Mads.

You are alive.

He isn’t.

And to Baby Mads, I am so so sorry that you were not protected by the two people in your life who should have fought like heck to protect your tiny, innocent life. I am so so sorry that the doctors treated you as a mere diagnosis. I am so so sorry that you were not fought for on the battlefield of that doctor’s office by the person who signed the post of your death ‘XO, Mom.’ I am so so sorry that the two people who were your parents commemorated your killing by taking a picture of them holding hands at the hospital and then later posting it on the internet.

I hope that every parent out there facing a grim prognosis, struggling with heartbreaking news, or facing devastation of a diagnosis remembers that a diagnosis does not determine a person’s worth.

Signed,

A Girl with a Rare Genetic Disease

I Met Sabrina Carpenter

Before Manchild, Espresso, and emails I can’t send, a blonde-haired girl was going on her first headlining tour, the EVOLution tour in 2016. This was at the tail end of Girl Meets World days, and I was a massive Sabrina fan.

There was no one quite like her in the music industry. Her range is insane, and the talent she holds is unlike anyone in the world, and I still truly believe that. What she does with that talent is for another blog post, which you can read HERE.

I scored tickets to her Santa Ana, CA stop, where, yes, THE Sabrina Carpenter performed in the small town of Santa Ana at the Observatory. Her tickets were $27, and I was standing just a couple of feet away from her. I will tell this story for centuries!

Courtesy of The Little Sparrow

Long story short, I did not get meet and greets. My best friend and I stood outside her bus, thinking she would come out, and she did not. Big surprise because everyone at that show was doing the same thing, and I’m sure the last thing she wanted to do was be in a pile of screaming teenage girls.

In the midst of all this, Sabrina was taking on the role of Wendy Darling at the Pasadena Playhouse’s production of Peter Pan and Tinkerbell: A Pirate’s Christmas, starring alongside Kevin Quinn, Chrissie Fit, John O’Hurley, Corey Fogelmanis, August Maturo, Parvesh Cheena, and Nikki Soohoo.

When I tell you this was the wildest and quirkiest play I have ever witnessed, believe me. Would I get tickets to see it again? One hundred percent! I don’t remember much about this play; I just remember it being absolutely wild. I’m sure there are videos on the internet if you want to see what I’m talking about.

Anyway, my friend and I got to the playhouse early, and I met Kevin Quinn, and he was so nice, and I had brought a limited edition hardcover of Peter Pan with me for the actors to sign, and still such a treasured item in my autograph collection.

After the play, my friend and I waited in this humongous line because we knew that most, if not all, the actors would be coming out. I have been to a lot of concerts, and I have met a lot of celebrities. Not once have I ever been in a more aggressive group of people than Sabrina Carpenter fans. Someone marked my favorite sweater with a permanent marker, and numerous people cut in line when Sabrina came out, and I had people shoving their way into my picture when I was literally standing next to Sabrina.

My friend finally pushed me in front of the line and snapped a quick picture of Sabrina and me. We had a super quick interaction, but Sabrina was the sweetest, even after doing two plays a day for I think two weeks. She was exhausted and kept asking people to please be kind and take one picture and leave because she just wanted to go to her afterparty with the rest of the cast.

I remember her giving me a big hug, and when I asked her to sign my book, she said, “this is gorgeous, where did you get it?” She signed it, we took our picture, and she said, “Thank you for coming, sweetheart, I appreciate it!”

I’m not sure how old she thought I was, but whatever! It was still an interaction I am so blessed I got to have, and I can say I met Sabrina way back when.

My Body, Your Choice

Like with most books and movies, I am very late to the hype of them all. I recently watched Unplanned, Abby Johnson Story. The film centers around a now pro-life advocate, Abby Johnson, and her eight years working as a senior director at a Planned Parenthood facility in Houston, Texas. Due to graphic imagery, heavy material, and bloody scenes, this film is rated R, and viewers should watch at their own discretion.

I went into the movie knowing this. I’m not too squirmish when it comes to graphic or bloody imagery in movies or, in real life. About ten minutes into the movie (if that), I instantly got sick to my stomach and felt like I was going to throw up. It wasn’t that graphic; it wasn’t anything worse than other stuff I’ve watched, but the intense and authentic violence shown at an up close view was sickening.

I’m Roman Catholic. The Roman Catholic church teaches about the dignity and respect of life, and that the act of abortion is deemed wrong and evil, as we are killing innocent lives. The Church’s stance does NOT change Its stance in any way, as in every result would still be killing an innocent and precious life. (Psalm 139:14)

Since Roe V Wade in 1973, there have been over 50 million Abortions, which means that’s an average of 3,400 abortions being performed daily.

50 million lives killed.

50 million lives murdered.

50 million lives bodys botched.

50 million babies who have been torn, pulled, vacuumed, and dismembered out of their mother’s uterus. A place that should provide safety and love for them is now a battlefield.

Abortions not only kill babies but can also harm the mother, leaving them with physical ailments and irreversible damage and causing psychological trauma. Annually, 68,000 women die from abortions, making it one of the major contributors to maternal deaths.

It’s both disturbing and hypocritical that the same people who are voting for pro-choice laws, protesting that babies are just a clump of cells, and eagerly celebrating someone killing their baby and being “free” are the same people who will throw extravagant baby showers for their friends, call themselves “auntie”, and love these babies so much if and only IF someone decides to keep their baby.

A baby isn’t a baby in certain circumstances. A baby is a human being in all circumstances; it doesn’t matter how the baby was conceived, whether you want the baby or not, and at what stage the baby is - life is life. Respect it.

Why The Aftermath of Charlie Kirk’s Death Infuriates Me

Charlie Kirk died on September 10th, 2025, and since the day of his death until now, I have seen the most vile, disgusting, and demonic side of humanity come out. I have been shattered by Charlie’s death, and my heart has been heavy since that awful day. I can’t fully wrap my mind around it still, and seeing Charlie’s beautiful wife, Erika Kirk, make speeches, it gut-punches me all over again.

I’ve seen comments such as;

Charlie deserved to die by gunpoint because he wasn’t for gun control

There’s no one better to die than this man

It’s a wonderful day in America (followed by an American flag emoji)

I won’t shed a tear over the death of this guy

I saw, recently, that P!nk is the latest celebrity to put her foot in her mouth and single-handedly ruin her career with an evil comment she made the day of Charlie’s memorial in Glendale, Arizona. She wrote, '“They should play pop goes the weasel.” My stomach churns just writing that out because how wicked of a human being do you have to be to say that about anyone?

Charlie was wrongfully murdered.

Didn’t agree with Charlie’s views or political beliefs?

He was still murdered.

Thinks he deserved to be murdered?

No one on this earth deserves the heinous act of being murdered. I don’t care if it’s the most conservative and spiritual person on this earth, or the most liberal and worldly person on this earth. No human soul, created by the divinity of God, is ever okay to murder. And, if you believe that what I’ve said is wrong, the devil has you in a chokehold.

Murder is a crime. Murder is the highest degree of immorality and self-destroying thought and action that instantly ruins your flesh and soul. Murder is not just a gunshot. Murder is not just a stab. Murder is not just a poisoning. Murder is the thought, the planning, the execution of ending someone’s life, in all the consciousness the killer has because they believe whoever they are choosing to end the life of are wrong, or they are filled with so much hatred.

We can’t play politics when it comes to murder. We can’t play religion over murder. Murder is wrong, and that goes for anyone. To say that someone deserved to die, someone deserves to be a widow, these kids deserve not to have a dad surpasses a disagreement in politics. This turns into playing God and believing that just because you don’t like someone or your morals and values don’t line up with someone elses they need to be taken out.

May Reflection

What’ve Been Reading: Rookie by Joshua Bassett is a memoir by the Disney Channel actor and singer. This collection of private and personal stories offers readers an inside look at the life of a teenage actor who experimented with drugs and alcohol, all while living in Los Angeles alone at the age of sixteen. I’ve been a fan of Joshua for the past few years and have become even more so after his recent conversion to Christianity. This book explores some pretty heavy topics, such as suicide, sexual abuse, sexual harassment, and drug use, so please read with caution. Such a fantastic and easy read, highly recommend!

Courtesy of Joshua Bassett || Simon & Schuster

What I’ve Been Listening to: ‘Cloud 9’ by Megan Moroney has been on repeat! I’m also loving the new album, ‘Floresence’ by Maisie Peters, and, of course, Avrey Anna has been a repeat artist for me over the last few months!

The Wilderness Seasons No One Tells You About

Confidence doesn’t always arrive with a bold entrance. Sometimes, it builds quietly, step by step, as we show up for ourselves day after day. It grows when we choose to try, even when we’re unsure of the outcome. Every time you take action despite self-doubt, you reinforce the belief that you’re capable. Confidence isn’t about having all the answers — it’s about trusting that you can figure it out along the way.

The key to making things happen isn’t waiting for the perfect moment; it’s starting with what you have, where you are. Big goals can feel overwhelming when viewed all at once, but momentum builds through small, consistent action. Whether you’re working toward a personal milestone or a professional dream, progress comes from showing up — not perfectly, but persistently. Action creates clarity, and over time, those steps forward add up to something real.

You don’t need to be fearless to reach your goals, you just need to be willing. Willing to try, willing to learn, and willing to believe that you’re capable of more than you know. The road may not always be smooth, but growth rarely is. What matters most is that you keep going, keep learning, and keep believing in the version of yourself you’re becoming.

Little Sparrows, Big Storms: Matthew 10 Reflection

Confidence doesn’t always arrive with a bold entrance. Sometimes, it builds quietly, step by step, as we show up for ourselves day after day. It grows when we choose to try, even when we’re unsure of the outcome. Every time you take action despite self-doubt, you reinforce the belief that you’re capable. Confidence isn’t about having all the answers — it’s about trusting that you can figure it out along the way.

The key to making things happen isn’t waiting for the perfect moment; it’s starting with what you have, where you are. Big goals can feel overwhelming when viewed all at once, but momentum builds through small, consistent action. Whether you’re working toward a personal milestone or a professional dream, progress comes from showing up — not perfectly, but persistently. Action creates clarity, and over time, those steps forward add up to something real.

You don’t need to be fearless to reach your goals, you just need to be willing. Willing to try, willing to learn, and willing to believe that you’re capable of more than you know. The road may not always be smooth, but growth rarely is. What matters most is that you keep going, keep learning, and keep believing in the version of yourself you’re becoming.

The Kind of Peace That Doesn’t Make Sense

Confidence doesn’t always arrive with a bold entrance. Sometimes, it builds quietly, step by step, as we show up for ourselves day after day. It grows when we choose to try, even when we’re unsure of the outcome. Every time you take action despite self-doubt, you reinforce the belief that you’re capable. Confidence isn’t about having all the answers — it’s about trusting that you can figure it out along the way.

The key to making things happen isn’t waiting for the perfect moment; it’s starting with what you have, where you are. Big goals can feel overwhelming when viewed all at once, but momentum builds through small, consistent action. Whether you’re working toward a personal milestone or a professional dream, progress comes from showing up — not perfectly, but persistently. Action creates clarity, and over time, those steps forward add up to something real.

You don’t need to be fearless to reach your goals, you just need to be willing. Willing to try, willing to learn, and willing to believe that you’re capable of more than you know. The road may not always be smooth, but growth rarely is. What matters most is that you keep going, keep learning, and keep believing in the version of yourself you’re becoming.