Perry Noble, founder and senior pastor of Second Chance Church in Anderson, South Carolina, shared the news that his wife, Shannon, was undergoing surgery so that their final embryo would have a better chance of implanting through in vitro fertilization.
Noble and his first wife, Lucretia, divorced in 2017 after 17 years of marriage shortly after Noble’s removal as senior pastor from NewSpring Church in Anderson, South Carolina. Noble founded that church in 2000, and it grew to over 30,000 members across 17 locations under his leadership.
Noble was removed from NewSpring Church in July 2016 for what church leadership described as abuse of alcohol and a strained marriage. He and Lucretia share a daughter.
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In January 2019 Noble started Second Chance Church. He got remarried in May 2021 to Shannon Repokis.
Noble has been sharing updates on social media detailing the couple’s difficult journey they’ve endured in attempting to get pregnant.
Referencing his and Shannon’s fertility struggles, Noble posted last month that “it’s been an emotional roller coaster for me and this amazing woman this past year!!”
On Thursday, Dec. 12, Noble asked his 54,000 Instagram followers to pray for his wife because she was having surgery to treat “endometriosis.”
Noble said that his wife has experienced three miscarriages and shared that they are hopeful that today’s procedure will give their “next embryo transfer a greater likelihood of implanting.”
Perry Noble: ‘More Than Likely, He Will Be Born With Down Syndrome’
Noble then shared that they only have “one more embryo.” He said, “A baby boy and he has trisomy 21, which means that more than likely, he will be born with Down syndrome.”
“We’ve told a few people about it and the reaction has been a bit fascinating,” Noble added. “A few people have been surprised that we are going to implant the embryo knowing his condition…but @repokis and I both know this embryo is actually a life and deserves a shot to live as much as any other baby!”
He continued, “Some people have told us, ‘I’m sorry,’ to which our reply has been, ‘Don’t be, this baby boy is a gift!’”
Perry said, “But most people have been super excited for us and this next step!!!”
Later in the day, Noble followed up his post with a video showing Shannon at home and still dazed from the anesthesia. “Wanted to say thank you for all of the prayers, the texts, the comments, [and] the support,” he said. “You guys have been amazing. Continue to keep us in your prayers and we’ll keep y’all posted. Love you guys so much.”
