Boone’s Story

Boone came into the world far earlier than expected at just 26 weeks, weighing only 1 pound, 1 ounce. As a micro preemie, he spent 107 days in the neonatal intensive care unit, split between Niswonger Children’s Hospital and Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital in Nashville, fighting through unimaginable odds.

“There were so many dark, hard days,” his mom, Katie, remembers. “We used to just hope he’d make it out alive.” But Boone did more than survive. He thrived.

“The therapists there taught us everything. They didn’t just support Boone – they supported our family.”

After making it through those difficult early days, Boone moved on to Niswonger Children’s Therapy Services, where he showed steady progress through feeding, occupational and physical therapies. “He was 1 year old before he could sit up on his own,” Katie says. “But the therapists there taught us everything. They didn’t just support Boone – they supported our family.”

After more than a year of therapy, Boone graduated from every program. Today, he’s a wild, joyful 2-year-old. “My husband and I always look at each other and say, ‘Can you believe that’s him?’” Katie says. “We never even let ourselves imagine that he would be messing up our whole house. We love it. It's amazing. He is doing really great, shockingly great.”

Boone still sees some of his NICU nurses, many who came to his birthday party, and the connection his family feels to Niswonger Children’s remains strong. “We’re so thankful,” Katie says. “This is what we prayed for.”

Want to learn more about Niswonger Children’s Network?

The Niswonger Children’s Network is dedicated to improving the health and future of the Appalachian Highlands through expert pediatric care so that we can share more heartwarming stories like Boone's. Read more about the Niswonger Children's Network.

Read more Niswonger Children’s Stories here.