Just like other parents, Kimmy and Steve were thrilled when they found out they were expecting a second baby. Kimmy’s first pregnancy and birth went according to plan, so they had no reason to believe it would be any different the second time around. But things changed for the family from Menomonie, Wisconsin when Kimmy was only 23 weeks.
That was in 2012 when she began to feel what she thought were false labor pains, known as Braxton Hicks contractions, after a baby shower at work. But on May 19 at 1:30 a.m., she could feel contractions coming only a few minutes apart, and she knew it wasn’t a drill.
Both Kimmy and Steve were scared.
“We had no idea what to expect,” Kimmy said. “We didn’t know anybody that had a baby that early. We didn’t know if they would be able to survive or not.”
At their local hospital, the staff tried to reassure the couple but knew that the baby’s chances of survival weren’t good. Transport was already being arranged to send the baby to the Children’s Minnesota level IV Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), the highest designation for a neonatal intensive care unit, to give him the best chance of survival.
Johnathon was born at 4:30 a.m. and required resuscitation immediately after birth. Within a few minutes of his birth, Johnathon was transported to Children’s Minnesota.
Kimmy was discharged later that day and the family made the drive to the Twin Cities. Once at Children’s Minnesota, Kimmy and Steve met the NICU nurses that would become like their second family – Emily Utech, Jennifer Barry and Jill Dotzler. They would spend 150 days at the NICU with their care team.
“Everyone was very kind and helpful. They took great care of not just Johnathon but us too. They always made sure we were taking care of ourselves too. They also did a good job explaining things to us so we understood,” Steve recalled of the family’s experience at Children’s Minnesota.
More than 12 years later, Kimmy still remembers the nurses that changed their life.
“We considered them family. They knew him so well. Even for my daughter’s birthday, they signed a card for her,” said Kimmy.
“Kimmy, Steve, Darla and Johnathon were a family that I’ve never forgotten,” said Jennifer, who is now a patient care manager at the Children’s Minnesota NICU at Mercy Hospital. “I remember how we made little milestones special, with monthly birthday footprint cards, birthday card for Darla, and tried to capture so many more firsts if they weren’t able to be there.”
Watch above as the family reunites with the nurses who cared for them more than a decade ago.
