Child's Birth Year
2024

State/Province/Territory
Pennsylvania

NICU Hospital for my journey
Children's Hospital of Philadelphia

My NICU Graduate's Journey
When Darnell was born, we expected to be celebrating. Instead, we were hit with the fear no parent is ever ready for — our baby had dangerously low blood sugar. Within hours of birth, he was rushed to the NICU, tiny and fragile, surrounded by wires, monitors, and uncertainty. We later learned he was battling neonatal hyperglycemia, a rare and serious condition that would change everything we thought we knew about newborn care.

The NICU became our new reality. Every beep of a machine made our hearts jump. Every update from a nurse became a lifeline. We watched as our son fought with everything in him — just to stabilize, just to eat, just to stay warm. We couldn’t hold him freely or take him home, but we loved him fiercely through every single moment.

We learned to celebrate the smallest victories: a steady glucose reading, a removed IV, a longer nap without alarms. And slowly, Darnell began to grow stronger. His spirit — so quiet, yet so powerful — carried him through.

Now, at 9 months old, Darnell is smiling, thriving, and filling our lives with joy. His journey has taught us what strength, faith, and love truly mean.

We’ll never forget the NICU team who held our hands and cared for our son when we felt powerless. And we’ll forever be proud of the little boy who showed us what a true fighter looks like.

What makes you proud of you NICU graduate?
I’m proud of Darnell not just because he made it through the NICU, but because of the quiet strength he showed before he even had words. He fought battles that most people never will — all in his first days of life.

I’m proud of how his tiny body held on when things were uncertain. How he overcame the fear and fragility of low blood sugar and a rare diagnosis like hyperglycemia. I’m proud of every breath he took, every milestone he reached, and every time he looked up at me as if to say, “I’m still here, Mommy.”

I’m proud of the resilience he taught me — the way he endured pokes, tubes, and machines without complaint, and how he smiled anyway when he finally came home.

Darnell made me stronger. He made me softer. And he made me believe that miracles don’t always arrive with fanfare — sometimes they come quietly, wrapped in wires, fighting their way into the world.

He’s not just my son. He’s my hero. And I will forever be proud to say: I am the mother of a NICU

Weight at Birth (lbs. or Grams)
5.5 lbs

Weeks Gestation
36 weeks

Time spent in the NICU (Specify Number of Days, Months, or Years)
15 days