A micro preemie born at 25 weeks gestation weighing less than two pounds is home after surviving pneumonia, cardiac arrest, and partial paralysis.
KEY TAKEAWAYS:
- Levi Morris survived multiple life-threatening circumstances after his birth three months early at 25 weeks — “every struggle that could be thrown at him” in the NICU, according to his parents.
- Thanks to a supportive hospital staff and volunteers, Levi was well enough to go home from the NICU after a long stay of about 15 months.
- Babies born weeks younger than Levi have survived — in part because they, too, were given a chance by heroic hospital staff who did all they could to preserve their lives.
THE BACKSTORY:
Levi Morris was born three months early, weighing just 1 pound and 6 ounces, at Golisano Children’s Hospital in Rochester, New York. While in the NICU, he survived multiple life-threatening complications. In February 2025, after spending 471 days in the NICU, Levi went home for the first time with his parents.
The hospital posted an emotional video to Facebook when Levi graduated from the NICU, showing Levi’s parents pushing him in a stroller as nurses cheered and blew bubbles.
“[Levi] went through the struggles of the NICU — every struggle that could be thrown at him,” said Dr. Colby Day, medical director of Golisano Children’s Hospital NICU.
Levi’s first struggle involved a blood clot. “Early on, I think the biggest scare was that blood clot, which was in the first few weeks. And so he was put on blood thinners, things like that,” Levi’s father Jonathan Morris told WHAM-TV.
Levi’s lungs were undeveloped, making his fight for life difficult. He went into cardiac arrest and needed CPR for 16 minutes after the medical staff caring for him tried to partially remove his breathing tube and wean him off some medication. Levi underwent a tracheostomy procedure, but his healing was a series of progress and setbacks.
“Levi’s case was so — even after his tracheostomy — was so up and down. Two months doing really good, a month so terrible you thought he was going to die, and then back up again, and so you’re always on edge, like day by day,” said Levi’s mother, Carrie Davids.
Another major setback occurred when Levi became partially paralyzed shortly before his first birthday.
What made all the difference for Levi’s parents was the hospital staff and volunteers who supported them through their long NICU journey. “Knowing that there are people there that we trust that are taking care of our child and are able to walk us through that is really significant,” said Davids.
Levi’s parents are also grateful for the support team that held and read to Levi when Morris and Davids couldn’t be at the hospital with their son. “I really liked that too because Levi is definitely a snuggler, and I love that he was getting interaction from all different facets,” Davids said.
Levi is growing strong, and his doctor and parents are confident in his progress, planning on working with him day by day and giving him extra help with physical therapy and speech therapy.
Levi’s father explained the couple’s plan for the rest of the healing journey. “We’re just going to take it a day at a time. And we’re going to go at [Levi’s] pace because [Levi’s] the boss,” Morris said.
THE BOTTOM LINE:
Babies have been known to survive after being born as early as 21 weeks gestation. When babies are given proper medical care and attention, like Levi, they are helped in their fight for life, and have a chance to live and thrive.
