Former lead singer of Kansas and multiple-Grammy-winning songwriter and producer John Elefante is using his newest single, “This Time,” to share the story of his adopted daughter’s birth and, in the process, bring some attention to Online for Life (OFL), an educational nonprofit working to rescue babies from abortion so they can live to make their mark on the world.
“I can’t imagine life without my daughter, Sami, and it just breaks my heart that pregnant young women much like her birth mother, instead of choosing life for their babies, are denying them the chance to be born,” Elefante says. “If our song can in any way bring attention to this issue and encourage those who are considering abortion to choose life through options such as adoption, then we couldn’t be happier.”
Elefante learned about OFL through a mutual friend, Michael Kadrie, who was working with Elefante on the music video for the song. The organization helps connect individuals and families facing an unplanned pregnancy and considering abortion with life-affirming centers that provide caring counsel, free ultrasounds and complete and accurate medical information, including educating individuals about the emotional and psychological impact of terminating a pregnancy.
Along with producer Andrew Manzano, Elefante and Kadrie were looking for a potential pro-life partner to help them complete the music video, knowing it had a powerful message that could be used effectively to reach pregnant women who were considering abortion, in order to encourage them to think about adoption.
“When we first heard about John’s song and his daughter’s story, we felt a connection right away and realized we had a mutual passion for saving babies from abortion,” says Brian Fisher, OFL’s president and co-founder. “We are so grateful for his team’s heart and their desire to see this beautiful music and touching story used for the cause of life.”
The song’s lyrics are based on the true story of what Sami’s 13-year-old birth mother might have experienced as “she sat cold in a waiting room, frightened and all alone … knowing that her baby would soon be gone.”
As the video unfolds, we see the dreams she had of a little girl celebrating her third birthday and growing into a woman through the years, and we hear the voice she heard telling her to “run away … you’re not taking her … this time.”
