One little girl in St. Louis, Missouri had a very special present for her first birthday — the chance to go home for the very first time. Aria Gillespie, who was born at just 22 weeks and was one of the smallest babies ever to survive at Mercy Hospital St. Louis, was discharged on July 6, her first birthday.

Key Takeaways:

• After being diagnosed with pre-eclampsia, Alycia Gillespie gave birth to her daughter, Aria, at 22 weeks.

• Aria weighed just 12.3 ounces at birth.

• She was discharged from the hospital on her first birthday, July 6.

The Details:

Aria's mom, Alycia Gillespie, was 22 weeks pregnant in July 2025 when she began experiencing headaches. A visit to the emergency room revealed that she had pre-eclampsia; doctors told her it was necessary to deliver her baby.

“They had eight people in the room for high-risk emergency team, and they explained to me that I had to have her now, and possibly me or her wasn’t going to make it,” Alycia told First Alert 4.

Baby born in St. Louis weighing less than a pound comes home after a year in the hospital

Baby Aria was born weighing just 12.3 ounces. During her NICU stay, doctors discovered she needed a heart procedure, resulting in a transfer to St. Louis Children’s Hospital.

Over the course of a year, she battled many health conditions, smiling through them all.

“She’s had blood transfusions, platelet transfusions, cardiac heart surgery, BPD, chronic lung disease,” Alycia explained. "Even with all that's going on, she has smiled the whole time," she told KMOV.

On July 6, her first birthday, Aria got a sendoff from the hospital staff. Though she still faces medical challenges, her family is happy to have her at home.

"She's a character," her dad, Delandis Gillespie, said. "All she does is laugh, smile, play all day."

"It's been great to have her here with us as a family, and just to spend time with her outside of the hospital," Alycia said.

The Bottom Line:

Little Aria's story shows that even in cases of medical emergencies, delivery — not the intentional ending of a human being's life — is the best option. In Aria's case, that delivery and high-quality medical care and treatment resulted in her survival.

"She's a real strong girl," Alycia said. "She's our little miracle baby."