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Rev. Walter B. Hoye II - October 2011
 Life Issues Institute is very pleased to announce the recipient of the 2011 Hero at Heart Award.
This award honors select individuals who demonstrate outstanding courage or compassion on behalf of innocent human life. This year’s honoree, Rev.
Walter B. Hoye II, is a resident of the Oakland, California area, and has led a ministry of reaching out to abortion-minded women. He and his volunteers stand outside area abortion mills to speak with women who are going in to end the lives of their unborn babies. His gentle message of hope and love has been enormously effective in this bastion of bay area pro-abortion thinking. Walter was so effective; the abortion mill complained to the Oakland City Council. They in turn passed an ordinance against pro-life speech in an attempt to keep Walter and his volunteers away.
Rev. Hoye challenged the ordinance in court, and in the process, was subjected to arrest, harassment, physical threats and court challenges. Through it all, he has remained faithful to his call to minister to women in crisis.
A huge turning point in Walter’s journey was a unanimous decision by the US Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. The city ordinance was so blatantly discriminatory against pro-life speech that even the Ninth Circuit couldn’t stomach it. By sending the case back to a lower court, the Court effectively declared victory on behalf of Rev. Hoye’s efforts.
Bradley Mattes, Executive Director of Life Issues Institute said, “Ever since my very first encounter with Rev. Hoye I was impressed by his demeanor and dedication to a just cause. Walter is a still, small voice in the verbal turmoil of the abortion debate... his humble and loving actions are effectively turning the hearts and minds of women against abortion. Life Issues Institute is honored to give him this award.”
Rev. Hoye was also interviewed on Life Issues Institute’s Emmy® Award winning television program, Facing Life Head-On. Watch this episode in its entirety at the link below:
Free Speech Denied
Abby Johnson - October 5, 2010
 Life Issues Institute is pleased to announce this year’s recipient of our prestigious Hero at Heart Award. The honor has been given to Abby Johnson, former director of a Texas Planned Parenthood abortion facility. The Hero at Heart Award recognizes select individuals who demonstrate outstanding courage or compassion on behalf of innocent human life. Abby Johnson has clearly demonstrated pro-life courage. Immersed in a pro-abortion environment, Abby was assisting with an abortion procedure via ultrasound. Faced with the reality that abortion kills an unborn baby, Abby had the courage to reject pro-abortion rhetoric, resign from her job and publicly take a stand on behalf of women and their unborn babies.
“The timing of this award is particularly meaningful,” said Bradley Mattes, Executive Director of Life Issues Institute. “This week marks the first anniversary of Abby’s conversion to being pro-life. Abby was in the lion’s den, but had the courage to speak truth to evil. Since then she’s been a marvelous and effective spokesperson for the pro-life movement. I’m very proud to present this award to her.”
Due to Abby’s heavy travel schedule, in order to present the award at the time of her first anniversary, Mr. Mattes caught up with her by phone on the road. The award will be physically presented to Abby later this month (10-21-10).
Abby Johnson’s compelling story was told on Life Issues Institute’s Emmy® Award winning television program, Facing Life Head-On. Watch this two-part episode in its entirety at:
Insider Exposes Planned Parenthood: Part One
and
Insider Exposes Planned Parenthood: Part Two
Ambassador Mary Ann Glendon - April 2009
 Bradley Mattes, Executive Director of Life Issues Institute, announced today (4-28-09) that they will present its prestigious “Hero at Heart” award to Mary Ann Glendon, former Ambassador to the Vatican. The honor is given annually to individuals who demonstrate outstanding courage or compassion on behalf of innocent human life. Recipients have included Congressman Henry Hyde and former Kansas Attorney General, Phill Kline.
Ambassador Glendon recently declined the University of Notre Dame’s most revered honor, the Laetare Medal, which was to be presented to her during the university’s May commencement ceremony. In a letter to Notre Dame President, Father John Jenkins, Ambassador Glendon made clear her decision was based on the invitation of pro-abortion President Barack Obama to speak at the commencement, as well as presenting him with an honorary doctor of law degree. The university is currently scrambling to find an alternate designee for the medal.
Mr. Mattes said, “Ambassador Glendon has demonstrated courage and grace in declining this prominent honor. Her action has demonstrated the critical need for all of us to stand up for innocent human life in the face of a pro-abortion president. That’s why she’s a Hero at Heart.”
Both President Obama and the current Congress are the most pro-abortion in the nation’s history. During his first months in office, Mr. Obama has made decisions and appointments which will adversely affect countless lives of America’s innocent unborn babies.
Dr. Willke, President of Life Issues Institute, stated, “Ambassador Glendon’s action has been noticed around the world. She’s sent an unmistakable message that a Catholic university claiming to stand against abortion must be true to its word.”
We are pleased to announce that Phill Kline has been the latest distinguished individual to receive this award. As Kansas state Attorney General, Mr. Kline took on two giants of the abortion industry, Planned Parenthood and George Tiller, a notorious late-term abortionist also known as “Tiller the Killer.”
Kline brought to light the fact that dozens of girls as young as 11 or 12 have been subjected to abortions, while not one count of sexual assault on a child has been pursued. Evidence seemed to suggest that Planned Parenthood has been cooperating with sexual predators to cover up criminal activity. Mr. Kline has also charged that Planned Parenthood has performed illegal, late-term abortions in violation of Kansas law.
Phill Kline has not backed down in the face of relentless and withering personal and professional attacks. Those zealously guarding the right to abortion-on-demand have opposed Kline at every turn, including the unlawful falsification of documents and failure to comply with required state guidelines and medical reporting. His primary opponent obstructing this investigation recently resigned his elected position in the wake of a sex scandal. In contrast, Mr. Kline’s dedication to justice and the protection of innocent human life has been remarkable.
Our congratulations to Mr. Phill Kline for being a Hero at Heart!
Congressman
Henry Hyde - April 2006
 Veterans
of the pro-life movement know that Congressman Henry Hyde’s
efforts have saved countless lives of unborn babies. Mr. Hyde announced
his retirement this year, so it was fitting that he be honored with
our Hero At Heart award.
Read the Life Issues transcript about Congressman Hyde.
View our archived breaking news article showing appreciation for Congressman Hyde.
Pastor
and Mrs. Martin - May 2005
Click
Here to Read Their Story
A
Martin Family portrait. Clockwise from bottom
center child: Tyler, Mercedes,
Terri, parents W.C.
and Donna, Princeton, LaDonna and Joshua.
 May 26, 2004 - Tasha Danvers-Smith
Click here
to read her amazing story! Read
the Transcripts from Life Issues about
Tasha Danvers-Smith Click
Here to see Jaden Wayde Smith's Birth Announcement!
October 28, 2003 - Peggy Bull 
 June 23, 2003 - Alabama Attorney General William Pryor
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