She is being called a “miracle baby," a little girl born 30 weeks premature. After a four-month stay in the St. Francis Hospital NICU, baby Zahraliz is finally home. Hospital staff gave her a heartfelt send off.
She just may be the world’s tiniest graduate.
When Zahraliz Franics Angueira departed the NICU Thursday, it was an emotional scene for everyone.
“The amount of support we had, I did not expect that. The whole hospital was filled,” Neyshaliz Angueira, Zahraliz's mother, said.
Get Connecticut local news, weather forecasts and entertainment stories to your inbox. Sign up for NBC Connecticut newsletters.
After a 128-day stay, Zahraliz is finally at home in Waterbury with her mom.
“I will do it all over again. It's amazing, you know, and she has grown so big too,” Angueira said.
Baby Zahraliz was welcomed to the world on Feb. 22, weighing less than a pound at 12.4 ounces. That is about the size of a coffee cup.
The hospital calls her a “micro-preemie.” Born at 22 weeks, while her mother was battling pneumonia in the ICU. Zahraliz was the smallest baby to ever be born at Saint Francis Hospital in Hartford.
“It was a roller coaster. This was the last thing I've ever expected,” Angueira said.
With her tiny size, Zahraliz was high risk for complications.
“We have to really pay attention to all her little small organs,” Dr. Jose Arias-Camison, M.D., Saint Francis Hospital NICU director, said.
She overcame all odds during her four-month stay, growing to seven pounds and five ounces. Anguiera feels a personal link with her little daughter, because she was also born premature.
“When she gets older, you know, this is a connection,” she said. “This is a story that we both are going to have that we could share.”
Thursday, three days after the original due date, dozens of hospital staff gathered in the rotunda, clapping and cheering to give Zahraliz and her mom a fond farewell.
“It was very emotional for everybody involved,” Arias said.
It’s a story of success, and Arias will never forget the “miracle baby.”
“I love the baby. You know, I love Zahraliz,” he said. “We try not to get emotional about our patients, but sometimes, you know, we do become emotional. It was a good day yesterday for our NICU.”
For the next few months, Zahraliz will remain on oxygen and going forward, she will have a team of doctors following her progress.
“128 days waiting for my daughter to be home in this bed with me,” Anguiera said.
Even though she stared out in this world so little, her mom foresees a big future.
“She came out the womb doing big things. It's limitless,” Anguiera said. “She was just a fighter. So I never really was worried about anything, I knew from the jump. I felt in my heart.”
A tiny girl, surrounded by a huge amount of love. Anguiera says she hopes her daughter’s story will offer hope to other NICU families facing the unknown.
