Eighteen years after being given little chance of survival, Drayton Brindisi returned to the children’s hospital where he was treated to meet some of the doctors and nurses who cared for him during the first months of his life.
Drayton spent more than five months in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) after being born at just 23 weeks and weighing only 15 ounces.
He was given little chance of surviving and even less chance of living without major complications. His mother, Heather Brindisi, recalled being warned that even the most basic milestones were far from certain.
“They said anything beyond walking, talking and breathing would be a perk, and we are living in a perk world, bonus world”, she said.
Drayton required critical care throughout his time in the NICU. His mother, doctors and nurses battled for every ounce of weight gained, every breath and every milestone reached.
Nurse Michelle Dwyer recalled the constant attention he needed.
“We are at his bed space 24/7, usually not stepping more than one foot away because he required the best of the best and the most critical of care”, she said.
For mum Heather, those months brought both reassurance and continuing uncertainty.
“My heart’s racing, too, and I remember that doing it a lot each day. There’s a comfort but uncertainty as well”, she said.
Eighteen years later, Drayton walked through the same hospital corridors as a university-bound young man. His return brought him together with members of his former care team and highlighted the striking difference between the critically ill premature baby they had treated and the person standing before them.
Nurse Stephanie Marco remembered just how small Drayton had been. She was amazed to see him looking healthy, preparing for university and playing the trumpet despite the serious lung disease he had experienced.
“It just, I mean, he was less than the size of his hand, he was just so tiny that just to see him looking so healthy, so smart, being able to play the trumpet with the bad lung disease that he had is just absolutely amazing”, nurse Stephanie said.
“It feels incredible to be going to [university]”, Drayton said, adding that he hoped to “really connect with other people and maybe even share my story”.
Spokesperson for Right To Life UK, Catherine Robinson, said “It is wonderful to see Drayton thriving 18 years after he was born so prematurely”.
“His story is an extraordinary testament to the dedicated care he received from his family, doctors and nurses, and we wish him every success as he begins university”.
