A premature baby weighing 1 pound at birth demonstrates the strength of a warrior throughout his 16-month medical journey that began the day he was born!
On November 1, 2023, Greyson Butler left the only home he’s known, Blythedale Children’s Hospital in Valhalla, New York.
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While Vikings may come to mind, the only similarity here is the manner in which a tiny little baby fought to survive! Greyson’s Valhalla is a community in Mount Pleasant, NY, which is located in the New York City Metropolitan area.
Born on June 27, 2022 to parents Monae Harper and Jeffrey Butler, the Bronx baby boy is truly a “miracle baby.”
"A lot of sleepless nights, a lot of tears, a lot of prayers, a lot of cries,” recalled his mother, Monae Harper. “Overall, a lot of smiles because my son is here right now. He's a miracle baby.”
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Greyson was born 16 weeks premature, weighed only 1 pound, 2 ounces, and was the size of a bag “of flour.” A micro preemie with a congenital heart defect and chronic lung disease, Greyson was given a 20% chance of survival, according to CBS affiliate WCBS-TV. Those are overwhelmingly tough odds. However, precious Greyson is one tough little guy!
With the help of the doctors, nurses, and medical staff, mighty Greyson worked every day to get better. Meanwhile, Monae and Jeffrey experienced exhausting emotions throughout the nearly 500-day “roller coaster” ride.
Monae told WCBS, “I was instantly worried. So, a lot of days I was thinking my son was going home, but then another situation happened. We were so scared. He looked like he would break. He was so delicate.”
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Those situations included 15 blood transfusions, five bouts of pneumonia, and two surgeries! And, in addition to Blythedale Children’s Hospital, Greyson was treated in four other medical facilities.
Finally, Greyson, weighing 20 pounds, was able to leave Blythedale Children’s Hospital to begin life in his real home.
Thankfully, doctors are not concerned about any neurological defects. Dr. Dennis Davidson told WABC-TV, “I come in the morning and I know he's okay because if I tickle him, he rolls around laughing and he throws a towel over his head."
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Delighted and proud, Jeffrey reflected on his son’s strength. While Jeffrey knows that Greyson may experience a little delay in some areas, he is not concerned. He sees that Greyson has a “sense of humor” and is “smart.”
Jeffrey said, “I think it's a story of a miracle. He never stopped fighting. There's a lot of situations I've been through that I wanted to just throw in the towel and I'm like if he could — he's here every day, he never stops fighting — then what am I gonna stop fighting for?”
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“In your strength I can crush an army; with my God I can scale any wall.” Psalms 18:29
h/t: People
Featured Image Credit: Youtube/CBS New York
Hally is a freelance writer, blogger, and mental health advocate. A former school counselor, Hally works for a nonprofit that distributes tax dollars to mental health and prevention education providers that serve her county's kids and families. She's a contributor to a devotional and two essay collectives, and she shares resources and wisdom regarding parenting teens, mental health, faith, adoption, and more at http://www.hallyjwells.com where she strives to "Dig Deep and Reach High." She and her husband have three adult children and one rascally beagle pup. Hally loves travel, her book club sisters, personality tests, and a great glass of iced tea.