Boy born prematurely leaves hospital with parents after nearly 2 years

VALHALLA, N.Y. (WABC) - A little boy who spent the first 22 months of his life inside hospital walls after he was born prematurely got to go home with his parents for the first time.

Nathaniel Flores was born prematurely at just 26 weeks old and 13.5 ounces alongside his twin brother at Blythedale Children’s Hospital in Valhalla, New York. His brother died shortly after birth, but Nathaniel continued to fight.

Nearly two years later, the little boy went home with his parents for the first time Tuesday.

“I’m just grateful to hang out with him. He’s got opinions and feelings, and he lets them know. So, I look forward to the playful period of this and just having fun,” said Nathaniel’s mother, Sandya Flores.

Getting to this day was a team effort: Nathaniel’s strength and the work of his doctors and nurses. The little boy was on a ventilator with very high settings and required a lot of touch-and-go changes in his ventilation strategy. He also needed to gain weight to outgrow that problem, according to Dr. Dennis Davidson.

Nathaniel’s parents spent a lot of time preparing for his eventual homecoming with help from the hospital’s parent and caregiver training center.

“Letting him wander on the living room floor, watching a ball game with him, those are the things I’m looking forward to,” said Nathaniel’s father, Jorge Flores.

Nathaniel’s parents say there have been ups and downs in their son’s journey, but they never felt alone, thanks to the support of those around them.

“I almost feel like we had more support than a parent who goes home with a newborn,” Sandya Flores said. “We have had probably way too much support. People have held our hands for 22 months, and I think we’ll be OK now. I think we’re ready.”

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