Beth Goodman

She was 38 years old, divorced, had no steady income—and desperately wanted a baby. With her biological clock loudly ticking, Beth Goodman did what many women are doing these days—with a sperm donor and in-vitro fertilization, she had three embryos implanted in her uterus. Beth was elated to find out she was pregnant—but shocked to learn she was having quadruplets.

"I cried," she said. "Not happy, joyous tears but what-have-I-done and what-am-I-going-to-do kind of tears…I had no plans for quadruplets."

Faced with the toughest decision of her life, Beth was forced to decide the fate of her unborn children. In the end, she decided against "selective reduction" or adoption, and made the choice to keep all four babies and raise them on her own. It was a choice that not only her family was against, but one that sparked a public debate. Bill O'Reilly of The O'Reilly Factor weighed in, saying that taxpayers shouldn't have to help support the babies.

"I felt like my sister's life was headed for a total train wreck and she had no idea," says Beth's sister Leslie.
Beth Goodman

Getting through her pregnancy safely was Beth's first hurdle. Four months into her extremely high-risk pregnancy, Beth was confined to her bed. She was only allowed to get up to go to the bathroom and shower. Just standing up left her exhausted. Her entire life was now dedicated to keeping her delicate babies healthy and thriving in her womb. Spending day after day lying in bed gave Beth a lot of time to think about her uncertain future.

"For many months I laid here talking myself off the ceiling," Beth says. "'What if I really can't do this? What if I won't be a good mother? What if I'm never able to make enough money?' All of those things really weighed on me."

Toward the end of her pregnancy, Beth was monitored around the clock. During that time, she received some frightening news: one of the babies had stopped growing and was in trouble. Her babies were born two months premature via cesarean section.

Beth was overwhelmed with joy. "It was just so amazing. I was so proud and they were so beautiful."
Beth Goodman and Oprah with the quads

As a single mother, Beth started feeling the pressure of her new responsibilities right away and was terrified. Alone in the house, she gets virtually no sleep, having to alternate caring for and feeding the babies. Even Oprah, who spent time with Beth feeding, burping, bathing and changing the babies, is exhausted after just one day!

Oprah: The question is: Having children that you cannot afford—is that selfish? There have been many a mother out there who gave up children…because they knew in their heart that they would not be able to give the child the life they deserved.

Beth: I'm very sad for those women. I would be a broken person today if I had chosen to give Luke and Casen away as I had planned. I was not going to keep the twins.

I do believe I'm going to be able to pay all my bills. I am not the kind of person who would be happy in life just receiving charity and not pulling myself up by my own bootstraps…. And I'm so grateful to everyone who has been generous to us and there have been such kind people…but it's very uncomfortable to need. And I'm broken-hearted for those women who have to give their children away because of finances. I love my children and I believe I can find a way to make this work.
Conjoined twins Mohammed and Ahmed separated

We first met conjoined twins Mohammed and Ahmed over a year ago. Joined at the top of the heads, the boys had to go through months of preparation for the complicated separation surgery. After over 30 hours of intense surgery, the boys were successfully separated. The doctors were thrilled with the surgery, and today they are making huge strides toward progress.

Twice a day, five days a week, the twins have therapy to learn to walk and talk. That's a medical miracle!
Dr. Kenneth Salyer

Dr. Kenneth Salyer is one of the many doctors that performed the separation surgery on the twins and is the founder of the World Cranial Facial Foundation. He and his team of doctors and therapists have high hopes for Mohammed and Ahmed.

"We hope and pray and feel they will be able to lead a normal life and that is the goal of our whole team, " Dr. Salyer says.
Candy had a successful surgery for Crouzon's syndrome.

Crouzon's Sydrome causes abnormal growth for the face and head. If untreated, it can cause brain damage, visual, hearing and breathing problems. When Candy was born, she was diagnosed with the disease. Even after a few surgeries, Candy was teased by other children, and it became quite difficult on the family. Candy's mother said after seeing Dr. Salyer on the Oprah Show, she knew he might be able to help. Dr. Salyer's surgery gave Candy a brand new face, and for the first time in her life—the freedom to hold her head up high.

"It's definitely a dream come true," Zorena, Candy's mother says. "And sometimes I still think I'm dreaming, I really do."
Christine, mother of murdered children

Christine was a successful veterinarian with a nice home and four children, three from a previous marriage and one with her ex-husband, John, a former sheriff's deputy. She never imagined the tragedy that would devastate her—her ex-husband John entering the house, shooting all four children and then himself.

When Christine shared her story on an Oprah Show, admitting her depression and being on the verge of suicide, she impacted many women living with similar pain. Oprah later received letters from 16 women who said the day the show aired, was the last day for them…until they heard Christine's story and knew they were not alone. This encouragement gave Christine a new purpose and reason to go on.

"I want to tell all of you something, and anyone else who is listening," Christine says. "I didn't save you in that sense, but you found your own inner strength. It shows what tremendous, caring, loving people you are in all of your pain. To feel that my children made a place in your heart means so much to me."
Three women given hope after thinking about suicide.

Three viewers, Chris, Kristen and Cassy, were all considering ending their lives. When they saw Christine had the courage to appear on the show while going through so much horrible pain, they all found a purpose to live.

"I just thank you for having the courage to come here," Chris says. "And my children [still] have a mother. … I embrace it every day. You are a part of my family, and we talk about you every day. Thank you for your courage."