Contact: Troy Newman, President, 316-841-1700; Cheryl Sullenger, Senior Policy Advisor, 316-516-3034; both with Operation Rescue; info@operationrescue.org  

WASHINGTON, Dec. 29, 2011 /Standard Newswire/ -- Operation Rescue announces today that Kortney Blythe Gordon has been named as recipient of the 2011 Pro-life Person of the Year Malachi Award in recognition of her life-time achievements and dedication to the protection of the pre-born and ending abortion.

Kortney served as Field Director for Students for Life in America, a position that had her traveling across the nation training, equipping, and encouraging student pro-life leaders. She also served as the Director of Campus Life Tours with the Survivors of the Abortion Holocaust from September, 2006, to May, 2009. During her service to these organizations, Kortney distinguished herself as a dedicated leader who tirelessly advanced the Pro-life cause while touching the lives of many, many people. She was a close friend and cheerleader of the work of Operation Rescue.

Tragically, Kortney died in a car accident in October that also claimed the lives of her pre-born baby daughter, Sophy, and fellow SFLA staff member Jon Scharfenberger.

"While she is terribly missed, Kortney's life's work stands as a tribute to her warm, loving personality, her fierce dedication to protecting the defenseless, and her unwavering faith in Jesus Christ. We honor her work by posthumously awarding her with Operation Rescue's 2011 Pro-life Person of the Year Malachi Award," said Operation Rescue President Troy Newman.

Honorable mention: Philadelphia District Attorney R. Seth Williams receives an honorable mention for his investigation and prosecution of abortionist Kermit Gosnell's horrific and illegal late-term abortion and infanticide scheme. Williams' 281-page Grand Jury Report courageously stripped the cloak of secrecy off governmental corruption that allowed Gosnell and other abortionists to operate without accountability for years and brought national attention to the issue of abortion abuses and corruption. Williams arrested and charged Gosnell and nine of his employees with hundreds of criminal counts ranging from murder to participating in a corrupt organization. So far, six of those charged have pled guilty - three to murder charges - with Gosnell facing a capital murder trial in 2013. William's work has helped Pennsylvania to purge corruption and bring reforms that provide greater protections for women and hold abortion clinics accountable to meet minimum standards. In addition to the closure of Gosnell's "house of horrors" mill, resulting abortion clinic inspections led to the closure of two additional Pennsylvania abortion clinics and two abortion clinics in Delaware connected to Gosnell.

About Operation Rescue® 
Operation Rescue is one of the leading pro-life Christian activist organizations in the nation and has become a strong voice for the pro-life movement in America. Operation Rescue is now headquartered in a former abortion clinic that it bought and closed in 2006.  From there, Operation Rescue launches its innovative new strategies across the nation, exposing and closing abortion clinics through peaceful, legal means. Its activities are on the cutting edge of the abortion issue, taking direct action to stop abortion and ultimately restore legal personhood to the pre-born in obedience to biblical mandates. Click here to support Operation Rescue.