Lexi Oliver Fretz, a member of Calvary Grace Brethren Church, Hagerstown, Md. (Jay Fretz, pastor), has found herself in the middle of a media storm after it was revealed that a photo of her stillborn son, Walter, was used in a video about Planned Parenthood without her permission.
The story began more than two years ago when Walter died after his birth at 19 weeks. Lexi wrote about it on her blog as a way of dealing with her grief. You can read her story here. (Warning, the images are graphic.)
The Center for Medical Progress used one of her images in a video about Planned Parenthood. The same image was also used in an ad for Carly Fiorina in her presidential bid.
Lexi has since been in touch with both organizations and granted permission to use the image.
“Walter’s photos have been around the world, they have been used by many for many different purposes and almost none of them have asked for my permission,” Lexi writes on her Facebook page. “As I stated before, our family is in God’s hands and I’m trusting he will provide what we need in safety and everything else. The statement I made was never intended as a huge announcement to the general public, it was a blanket response to the calls, messages and emails I had been receiving from those I know as well as those that follow my page.”
This week she was interviewed by Thomas Roberts on MSNBC. Below is a recording of that interview.
Lexi was also interviewed on Fox 5, Washington, D.C., on Wednesday. That interview appears below. She was also scheduled to be interviewed by CNN today.
“Walter is helping to fight for the unborn and we are proud to call him our son,” Lexi continues on Facebook. “We are proud that God entrusted this tiny life to us for such a short time. For such a time as this, Walter was placed on this earth to make a huge impact and God is using Walter to fulfill HIS purpose for HIS glory!”
By the way, tiny Walter is named for his great-grandfather, the late Walter Fretz, who led the Grace Brethren Investment Foundation for many years. Lexi is married to Joshua, who is the son of Pastor Jay and Beth Fretz, of Hagerstown, Md.