Xavien

Child's Birth Year
2023

State/Province/Territory
Maryland

NICU Hospital for my journey
Mercy Medical Center

My NICU Graduate's Journey
Xavien was born at 24 weeks and has been a fighter from the very beginning. He came home on oxygen but only needed it for two weeks. With the help of his grandparents and Infants & Toddlers, he worked hard and quickly started crawling and walking. Along the way, he faced some challenges, including inguinal hernia surgery. The surgeon even told us, “It took way longer than expected because I’ve never seen that in all my years — it was wrapped around his bladder.” He also had multiple ear infections and eventually needed ear tubes placed.
Even through all of this, nothing stopped him for long. Xavien has always been on the move and full of determination. He loves baseball, trucks, football (especially the Ravens!), and emergency vehicles. He is incredibly smart — you only have to tell him something once, and he remembers it. His teachers, family, and friends are always amazed by how quickly he learns and catches on. He makes us so proud every single day.

What makes you proud of your NICU graduate?
So much makes us proud of this little boy. More than anything, we are amazed by how strong he is. Everything he has endured in his short life has shown us just how determined and courageous he truly is. There’s a saying that God gives His toughest battles to His strongest soldiers, and that could not describe Xavien better. We have never met a little boy with so much strength and determination.
He is also incredibly smart! He knows his numbers, letters, animals, colors, and just about every vehicle and train you can imagine. He learns so quickly and surprises us every day with how much he remembers. On top of all that, he has such a fun personality — and we are not just saying that because he’s our son!
We truly believe this boy is going to do something great one day we are so grateful and proud to be his parents

Weight at Birth (lbs. or Grams)
1 lb 6 oz

Weeks Gestation
24 weeks

Time spent in the NICU (Specify Number of Days, Months, or Years)
4 months