Erin Lichy From 'Real Housewives of New York' Recalls 'Terrifying' Abortion at 18
In a heartfelt interview, 'The Real Housewives of New York City' star Erin Lichy shared her deeply personal experience of having an abortion at 18.
Speaking to Glamour, Lichy described the fear and isolation she felt after discovering her pregnancy during her second week of college.
"I literally remember the feeling washing over me in my dorm bathroom, and I just lost it," Lichy recalled. "I was sitting on the floor for maybe an hour and a half hysterically crying, just like, 'What am I gonna do? Oh my God.' It was so terrifying to me."
Unable to confide in her parents and with no close friends nearby, Lichy turned to Planned Parenthood for support. Her boyfriend at the time accompanied her through the process. "My boyfriend at the time came up, and I had an abortion," she said, becoming emotional. "It makes me emotional."
Although her boyfriend was supportive, Lichy admitted the experience was so painful that she severed ties with him afterward. "Something broke inside me, and I just didn't even want to have any connection to it," she explained.
It wasn't until a year later that Lichy told her mother, Dorothy Somekh, about the abortion. To her surprise, her mother shared that she, too, had experienced the same. "The most beautiful part about it was that she said, 'It happened to me too,' " Lichy revealed, becoming emotional. "It felt like women supporting women. Like, even though she's my mom, she wanted me to know... Everybody has a story."
Years later, Lichy also opened up to her father, Eliahu Yitzhari, about the abortion. Reflecting on the emotional conversation, she said, "I did wind up discussing my story with my dad, and his response was even more beautiful and heartwarming than I could have ever imagined." She expressed gratitude for his acceptance and support, calling it a moment of "friendship."
Lichy's decision to share her story now was inspired by the overturning of Roe v. Wade. She expressed concern for the future of women's healthcare. "Forget about choice for women like me, but what about someone who's suffering or has a high-risk pregnancy?" she said.
Emphasizing that abortion is a complex and deeply personal decision, Lichy added, "It's a tough, tough decision... I think it's really difficult for women, and maybe not everybody talks about that."
