A couple were delighted when they discovered the same NICU nurse cared for father and son – 34 years apart.
Zayne Caldwell arrived eight weeks early and his parents Renata Freydin, 34, and David Caldwell, 33, were understandably anxious about the coming weeks and months.
But the parents’ minds were put at ease when they discovered Zayne’s NICU nurse, Lissa McGowan, had also cared for his father 34 years ago.
David had also been born premature too at the same hospital and fondly remembered his mother’s stories of “wonderful nurse Lissa”.
They only realised she was also looking after their son when they dug an old family album out of storage, to see which parent the newborn resembled.
They couldn’t believe it when they saw a photo of Lissa cradling David – and took an incidental photo with Zayne.
Their tot is now happy and healthy and at home – and yesterday (5) Lissa retired from Saint Peter’s University Hospital in New Brunswick, New Jersey, after 39 years service.
Proud Renata, a nail technician, from Edison, New Jersey said: “The time was filled with worries and uncertainty, but we could breathe easy knowing his nurse is the same one that helped David.
“She was amazing and to have her care for Zayne was amazing.
“We couldn’t believe it when we found out.”
Zayne was born on January 30 and his parents were understandably anxious about leaving him in the expert care of the NICU nurses to get bigger and stronger.
They felt reassured because their favourite nurse Lissa was taking good care of him – in the same hospital David’s mother Ida had given birth to him, eight week premature.
Ida passed away when David, a Fedex manager, was in high school, but she had put together photo albums of treasured baby photos.
And a few days after Zayne was born, he pulled them out of storage, and Renata was leafing through when she saw a familiar face smiling back at her.
“There was a photo of Lissa holding David,” she said.
“I was like ‘wait a minute’. I had only met her two days earlier. I got chills.
“I knew it was her right away and I ran to show David and didn’t even have to say anything – he saw it was her straight away too.
“His mother had loved her to much, she wanted to take a picture of the two of them before she left.”
They took the snap into show Lissa, who was overjoyed.
The family believe it was a sign David’s mum Ida was watching over them and Renata added: “Lissa was so kind and not just to baby, but to us as well.
“No question was too much – and she often answered them before we had even asked.
“It was very emotional. David was thinking it was a sign his mum was saying ‘everything will be ok – and it was.”