Lucy is a thriving 11-year-old with a kind heart and a fearless spirit. She’s the type of child who looks out for others, is a budding guitar player, and also happens to be on a competitive freestyle ski team—taking on epic ski jumps with confidence. Living her best life in Aspen, Colorado, you’d never guess that Lucy was born eight weeks premature and spent the first six weeks of her life in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU).
For her parents, Kristen and Andrew, the months leading up to Lucy’s birth felt like a typical pregnancy. Kristen remembers feeling uncomfortable, but chalked it up to normal pregnancy symptoms. The couple even planned a babymoon and focused on enjoying life together before welcoming their baby girl.
At Kristen’s 32-week appointment, doctors noticed her blood pressure was unusually high. Although Kristen felt fine, her condition didn’t improve. She was diagnosed with preeclampsia—a serious pregnancy complication that, if untreated, can lead to liver failure and other risks for the mother. Due to the severity of her condition, Kristen was airlifted from Aspen to Presbyterian/St. Luke’s Medical Center in Denver for immediate care.
“She called me from the doctor’s office,” Andrew recalled. “It was crazy. I had to pack our bags, take care of the dogs, and get to Denver immediately.”
Knowing that an early delivery was likely, doctors administered a steroid shot to help support Lucy’s underdeveloped lungs. The catch? The shot meant they had to wait 48 hours before they could induce labor and the doctors had to keep Kristen stabilized and carefully monitor her preeclampsia symptoms during that time. After the 48 hours had passed they induced labor and whether they were ready or not, Lucy was on her way.
Labor was slow at first, but once it progressed, it went smoothly. Lucy was born weighing just 3 pounds, 3 ounces. On top of being very small, she had a blood clot in her left leg and numerous brain bleeds. Things escalated quickly.
“I noticed right away something looked different about her left leg,” Andrew said. “At first, I didn’t think much of it, but then they started pressing on it and working on it, and I knew something was wrong.”
Doctors jumped into action, spending the night stabilizing Lucy. Because of the brain bleeds, they couldn’t use typical treatments for blood clots. Despite their best efforts, they eventually delivered devastating news to Kristen and Andrew: they might have to amputate Lucy’s leg.
Like all new parents, Kristen and Andrew had imagined a future filled with first steps, running, and scraped knees. Facing the possibility of amputation was heartbreaking.
“It was one of the saddest and scariest moments for me and Kristen,” Andrew said.
The next morning, the couple awoke unsure of what to expect. To their relief, doctors told them Lucy had made a remarkable turnaround—the clot was dissolving on its own, and the color in her leg was returning. She wouldn’t need an amputation after all.
During all of this, Kristen had yet to meet her daughter. Due to her own complications, she wasn’t able to visit the NICU. But that evening, after getting the good news about Lucy’s leg, Andrew wheeled Kristen into the NICU and she finally met her baby girl.
The next six weeks were intense and transformative. Kristen and Andrew stayed with family in Denver and spent the holidays at the hospital, bonding with their daughter and learning how to care for her. The NICU nurses were incredibly supportive, helping them feel empowered in their new role as parents.
“The care and attention we received in the NICU truly impacted Lucy’s healing,” Kristen shared. “The hospital was so warm and welcoming—it made a difficult time feel a little less overwhelming.”
They felt supported, seen, and surrounded by people who genuinely cared for their family—something that stayed with them long after they brought Lucy home.
“That was a silver lining in all of this,” Kristen said. “We had professionals teaching us how to take care of her.”
While Lucy’s leg was healing, she still had a long road ahead. Brain scans, needles, and countless monitors filled their days. Lucy was so fragile that her parents couldn’t hold her until she was a week old. But she fought hard, achieving milestone after milestone. She eventually stopped needing a feeding tube and graduated to a lower level of NICU care.
And finally, after six long weeks, Lucy was strong enough to go home.
Throughout Lucy’s stay, Kristen began pumping breast milk, determined to provide for her daughter. Once home, with the help of a hospital-grade pump, her milk supply flourished. Inspired by how crucial breast milk had been for Lucy, Kristen decided to donate her extra supply—ultimately giving an astounding nine gallons to Mothers’ Milk Bank.
Kristen and Andrew’s experience changed their lives. They were grateful to have family nearby and not face financial hardship due to Lucy’s NICU stay. But they knew that wasn’t the case for everyone. Nurses shared stories of families who had to choose between being at the hospital or going to work—a heartbreaking decision no parent should have to make.
Determined to give back, Kristen and Andrew began supporting the Rocky Mountain Children’s Health Foundation. Their donations help ensure other families have access to donor milk and financial support during NICU stays.
“We were fortunate enough to have a place to go in the area,” they said. “It gives us a lot of pride to donate so that other families can receive the same level of care.”
Eleven years later, Kristen and Andrew still remember their experience vividly. To other families going through similar journeys, they offer this advice:
“You’re in good hands. Things may feel out of your control, but there are people there to care for you and who are doing their jobs. Ask questions, be involved, and stay calm.”
We are deeply grateful to Kristen and Andrew for their incredible support. You can join them in making a difference for NICU families by donating to Rocky Mountain Children’s Health Foundation during NICU Awareness Month.
