Boy who was born at 26 weeks beats the odds, goes home from hospital for 1st time

A New York boy got to go home for the first time nearly two years after his birth.

Nathaniel was discharged from Blythedale Children's Hospital in Valhalla, New York on Aug. 20 after a 419-day stay.

Doctors, nurses and staff lined up to applaud Nathaniel as he left the building with his mom and dad, Sandya and Jorge Flores. To celebrate the milestone, Sandya Flores shook a golden bell as they took one last trip down the hospital hallway together.

Nathaniel and his twin brother Christian were born at 26 weeks back on Oct. 28, 2022, at Stony Brook Children's Hospital in Stony Brook, New York, but Christian died three days after birth. Nathaniel was later transferred to Blythedale Children's on June 28, 2023.

Sandya Flores told "Good Morning America" she and her husband turned to in vitro fertilization to start their family. The couple learned they would be expecting twins but 17 weeks into her pregnancy, Sandya Flores said doctors told them they noticed the twins' growth was restricted and started closely monitoring her and the babies.

By 26 weeks, Sandya Flores said doctors told them that the twins needed to be delivered early via cesarean section.

"He was born at 385 grams, which is under one pound, and he was 26 weeks. So his main issue, that still remains today, is prematurity of his lungs," Sandya Flores explained to "GMA."

The Floreses worked closely with Nathaniel's doctors and medical team to help him overcome the odds.

"We just needed him to grow. So we spent months fine tuning things like his feeding schedule, the different vitamins and things that he needed to get those lungs to grow," Sandya Flores recalled.

Among the surgeries and treatment Nathaniel needed was getting a tracheostomy tube or trach and an endotracheal tube or ET tube to help with breathing and a gastrostomy tube or g-tube for feeding, according to his parents.

Over time, Nathaniel did grow and at Blythedale Children's, he received more care and underwent various therapies, including speech therapy, occupational therapy and physical therapy. But the Floreses also received customized training at Blythedale Children's and learned how to use and clean all of Nathaniel's equipment and how to respond in case of an emergency or mishap when at home.

"They teach you to be ready for any scenario possible and be comfortable with your baby in any scenario possible. But it's all like a gradual thing," Sandya Flores said. "It's not something you could just pick up a book and do for the first time."

Dr. Dennis Davidson, an attending neonatologist at Blythedale Children's, was one of Nathaniel's doctors.

"Nathaniel made significant progress while he was here at Blythedale," Davidson said in part in a statement to "GMA." "In order to go home safely, we had to be sure his parents knew how to take care of every aspect of his complex care. During Nathaniel's admission to Blythedale, he had a dedicated nurse educator who worked with the family on all aspects of care through our innovative Parent and Family Education program. This ensures that if there are gaps in nursing care at home, his parents are prepared to respond to emergencies because they've been trained in myriad scenarios. We're so confident in Sandya and Jorge and are thrilled that Nathaniel is home at last."

Despite all the difficulties, challenges and uncertainties throughout the last 22 months, the Floreses said they couldn't be more grateful to have Nathaniel by their side.

"There have been tons of tears in every hospital that we've been in, but he's also a joy," Sandya Flores said. "For every bad moment, there's a good moment, and it makes us super appreciative of him."

"Going into the hospital and seeing him and him just looking at us and smiling or just him being him, it's like, 'No, this isn't bad. He's going to be OK.' And that gives you fortitude," Jorge Flores added.

The Floreses call Nathaniel their "miracle baby" who is also a "fiesty, ball of energy," apparent from the minute he stepped foot inside their home.

"Everyone, including us, was really worried that he would get in the car, first time in the car, he would get home and be anxious or terrified … no! he walked in like he lived here," Sandya Flores said.

The new parents said they wanted to shine a light on their beloved son's story to offer hope for other parents navigating a newborn in the hospital.

"If this is your situation, it'll be OK," Sandya Flores said. "There's help for you. There's support. You will get through it. It's not the end of the world."