By OBBM Network Editorial Staff

Derived from an episode of Get on The Ark.

Imagine a mother being told by every specialist she sees that she must end her pregnancy because the baby cannot survive. Dr. Shannon Kroner refused, and the miracle that followed still challenges California’s vaccine policies today.

Early Career and the First Warning Signs

Dr. Kroner began working with children who have special needs in 2001. While conducting intake interviews, she repeatedly heard families describe how a child seemed to develop normally, only to regress after receiving a series of vaccinations. “One of my roles was to do an intake with the families and I was young… I kept hearing the same story over and over again about how the child was meeting milestones and everything was normal. And then after a round of vaccines they lost the ability to speak,” she recalled.

These early observations convinced her that vaccine injuries were real and not merely anecdotal, prompting a lifelong commitment to parental choice and vaccine safety education.

A Pregnancy Tested by Faith and Medicine

During the 2009 swine‑flu pandemic, Dr. Kroner, then pregnant, declined the swine‑flu shot but accepted a preservative‑free flu vaccine after pressure from her physician. Within days, she experienced massive amniotic fluid loss at 12 weeks. An emergency room doctor told her she had lost the baby, yet an ultrasound the next morning showed a faint heartbeat and 95% fluid loss.

Doctors repeatedly urged her to terminate the pregnancy, labeling her decision as “crazy.” Undeterred, she sought six separate medical opinions, prayed daily, and visualized her child’s survival. By week 20, her amniotic fluid had returned to normal, a recovery the physicians called “a miracle.” “I was determined to save my child and the doctors were like, ‘you should consider ending the pregnancy,’” she said.

Raising a Miracle Child Amidst California’s Vaccine Mandates

Dr. Kroner’s son was born with a hyper‑extended right knee, requiring reconstructive surgery at eight weeks and again years later. Today, at 15, he is taller than his mother and excels academically. “He’s a brilliant, funny, amazing kid—my miracle child,” she said.

Living in California, Dr. Kroner has witnessed the state’s tightening vaccine mandates: the 2015 repeal of religious and personal belief exemptions, the 2019 elimination of medical exemptions, and the threat to physicians who issue them. She notes that “there’s a list in California of thousands of doctors who have been tagged as a potential threat” for supporting exemptions.

Turning Personal Tragedy into Advocacy and Children’s Literature

Motivated by her experiences, Dr. Kroner authored two children’s books. “I’m Unvaccinated and That’s Okay” tells the story of a boy whose sibling suffers vaccine injury, emphasizing personal choice. The book earned awards and endorsements from Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Del Bigtree, and even a photograph of President Trump holding the book at a private event.

Her second title, “Let’s Be Critical Thinkers,” follows a girl named Darlene Data navigating the pandemic, questioning masks, lockdowns, and the flood of information. Both books aim to empower families to research and make informed health decisions, a message Dr. Kroner believes is vital in an era of mandated vaccinations.

Implications for Policy and Parental Rights

Dr. Kroner’s narrative underscores a broader conflict between state‑level vaccine enforcement and individual liberty. While the Trump administration has advocated for protecting religious and medical exemptions nationwide, California’s strict laws continue to limit parental choice. Her story illustrates how personal faith and perseverance can challenge policy, offering a human face to the debate over vaccine mandates.

As more families encounter similar dilemmas, Dr. Kroner’s experience serves as a reminder that policy impacts real lives, and that grassroots advocacy—rooted in faith, research, and personal testimony—remains a powerful force for change.

In sharing her journey, Dr. Kroner invites listeners to reconsider how we balance public health initiatives with respect for individual conscience and parental authority.

The full episode of Get on The Ark is available on OBBM Network TV.