Two friends and their inspiring stories will reunite in Texas

Written by Kari Sundberg, Eagle Editor

Two inspiring women and their success stories will be coming together again in just a few weeks in Austin, Texas.

For Matia Brobst, the cup has always been viewed as full.

She made the choice to see it that way. 

So did her support system. 

At 28 years old, Matia has proved that she could go after her goals and check them off her list, making a good life for not only herself, but her children, too. Rewind the clock to just one month after her 15th birthday, while still a Grygla High School student, her determination was just as strong. 

Matia had just given birth to her daughter, Lakylie. As a teen mom and a student still in school, it was common for her to hear things like “Your life will come to and end…you won’t get to live out your teen years…you won’t make it on your own, etc.” It was even assumed by a primary care doctor that she would want to end her pregnancy because of her age.

But with the loving support of her parents, grandparents and so many other family members, Matia never doubted the life she would soon bring into the world. 

Now married to Clint Brobst, residing in Grygla and having four beautiful children, Matia is still counting her blessings. “It truly takes a village,” she says. “I had family members and friends who supported me and believed in me when I needed them the most. And I am thankful for each and every one of them.”

Matia acknowledged that she’s always had a “watch me” attitude. She was determined to spread her wings and not become “another statistic.” While she admits there were bumps, bruises, life lessons, relationships built and broken, and tears along the way, Matia graduated from college, earning a degree in Special Needs & Early Childhood Education (with a focus in Political Science). She is also just one year shy of her BA in HR & Organizational Leadership.

After graduating from Grygla High School, Matia moved 3 hours away from her at-home support system to enroll at NDSU full-time. She had been dating Clint Brobst since Lakylie was 8 months old, and the three of them were now residents of Fargo. “Clint has been by our side every step of the way. From late nights studying, to tucking Lakylie in at night or dropping her off at campus daycare when I had early morning class, he has always been there for us girls,” she said, lovingly.

While in college, Matia agreed to do a story for The Spectrum, an NDSU newspaper. The story was titled “College mother with a passion” and it was written by a fellow NDSU student named Jordan, who had overheard pieces of her story. Matia explained, “Many colleges do not offer on-campus living for parents with children, therefore I lived “off campus” directly across from the Fargo Dome. Also, most colleges do not offer meal plans for students who have children either. Maybe that’s what started the conversation with Jordan, who was a classmate of mine.” 

Jordan had asked Matia if she would share pieces of her story in The Spectrum. With hesitation, she said yes. After it was printed, the article stirred up a lot. In fact, it’s still impacting her life 11 years later.

After “College mother with a passion” was printed, a director for North Dakota Right to Life had reached out to Matia and asked if she would share her story at their annual banquet. She was asked to share about choosing life and becoming a teen parent, along with all the struggles that she had to endure and overcome, including living off-campus and having a successful college career. With nerves about having to speak to a large audience, she said yes and told her story from the start of finding out she was pregnant to that day standing on the stage, October 22nd, 2013. That was also the day she formed her friendship with Claire Culwell, who was the keynote speaker of the night. 

Culwell is an abortion survivor and pro-life spokeswoman who tells her story of redemption, healing, and forgiveness, offering grace and support to women facing the most difficult decision of their lives. Matia recalls, “I can’t explain the emotions and thoughts I had after hearing her story. Especially after speaking my own.”

Following that initial meeting and newly formed friendship, Matia took part in March for Life in Washington D.C. in 2014 and 2015, and met up with Claire each time, listening to her share her story with others. Fast forward to present day, and Claire Culwell is now getting ready to launch a book detailing that story.

Over the past 8 years, Matia and Claire have kept in contact, sharing a unique friendship and watching each other’s families grow. A few months ago, Claire asked if Matia would be a part of her Launch Team for her book, SURVIVOR, which is releasing on April 27th. Matia and Lakylie will be traveling to Austin, Texas, to support Claire and the launch of that new book. They will be joining Claire at her parent’s home, for a launch party gathering on May 1st. “I’m looking forward to supporting someone who has done the same for me over the years,” Matia noted.

Before the highly-anticipated launch party, Matia and Lakylie will have a few days to explore the area. They plan to head up to Waco one day and visit Magnolia Market at the Silos, owned by Chip & Joanna Gaines. They are also taking a drive over to Galveston, so Lakylie can see the ocean for the first time! With Austin being the “Live Music Capital of the World,” there will be some evenings filled with live music on the agenda, as well.

Taking that trip together, making those memories and, of course, being a part of Claire’s Launch Team makes for one exciting and special journey.

SURVIVOR will be released officially on April 27th but can be pre-ordered online at any major book-selling retailer, including Amazon. A summary of the book is included here.

SURVIVOR: An Abortion Survivor’s Surprising Story of Choosing Forgiveness and Finding Redemption

Raised in a loving adoptive home, Claire Culwell, at the age of twenty-one, decided to meet her birth mother—and got the shock of her life. Claire’s birth mother, Tonya, confessed that when she was pregnant with Claire, she’d gone to a clinic for an abortion. Yet, after the abortion, the pregnancy continued to progress. What Tonya’s doctor had overlooked was that she’d been pregnant with twins. The abortion that terminated the life of Claire’s twin had miraculously spared Claire. 

Claire embraced the unique circumstances, soon sharing her story with the world and urging her listeners to understand how abortion takes the life of a child. When Claire faced her own unplanned pregnancy as a single woman, she embraced the added opportunity to step into the shoes of those she advocates for. Her heart grew bigger on the issue of life, which increased her extension of empathy and grace to women in pregnancy crisis. At the same time, she began to challenge churches to truly value not just the unborn but also the women who face unexpected pregnancy. 

SURVIVOR is Claire’s incredible story of surviving abortion and advocating for life—the lives of unborn babies as well as the lives of their mothers. Her powerful message of grace speaks louder than politics or controversy or shame as she inspires each of us to choose life wherever we are.