Texas Mother Gives Birth Four Months Early to 1-Pound Baby With Just 10% Chance of Survival — He Comes Home After 153 Days in NICU

TEXAS — A Texas mother is sharing her extraordinary story of strength and hope after giving birth four months early to a micropreemie baby who weighed just one pound and was given a 10% chance of survival. Now, after 153 days in the NICU, baby Emmett Santiago has beaten the odds and returned home with his family in time for Thanksgiving.

Emergency Delivery at Just 22 Weeks

The emotional journey began when Tricia Santiago experienced unusual stomach pain and decided to visit the hospital as a precaution. What she didn’t know was that she was about to go into labor nearly four months ahead of schedule.

“It was definitely a surprise,” Tricia told People Magazine. “We thought, ‘Let’s just go in, just in case.’ But as soon as we walked into Baylor Scott & White Medical Center in Grapevine, my water broke.”

Doctors acted immediately, and within hours, Tricia delivered her son at 22 weeks and 6 days, classifying him as a micropreemie — a term for infants born before 26 weeks gestation and weighing under 1.75 pounds.

Doctors Gave Only 10% Survival Chance

At birth, Emmett weighed just 1 pound and was barely larger than his father’s hand. Medical staff informed the Santiagos that his survival odds were slim — only around 10% — due to his extreme prematurity and fragile lungs.

“They told us to prepare for the worst,” Tricia said. “But we just kept praying and believing that he would fight.”

153 Days in the NICU

For the next five months, baby Emmett endured a difficult and uncertain journey in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). He required ventilators to breathe, feeding tubes for nutrition, and constant monitoring by a dedicated team of doctors and nurses.

“There were good days and hard days,” Tricia recalled. “The NICU becomes your whole world. You celebrate every ounce gained, every hour that he keeps fighting.”

Slowly, Emmett began to stabilize — gaining weight, breathing more independently, and reaching milestones that once seemed impossible.

A Thanksgiving Miracle: Finally Home

After 153 days of treatment, Emmett was strong enough to go home with his family — just in time for Thanksgiving.

“It’s the best gift we could ever receive,” Tricia said. “There were moments we didn’t know if he’d ever come home. Now, he’s here, and he’s our little miracle.”

Emmett still requires oxygen support and medical monitoring, but doctors say his recovery has exceeded expectations.

Hope for Other Families

The Santiagos say their experience has shown them how powerful love and perseverance can be — and they hope their story offers hope to other families facing premature births.

“We met so many parents in the NICU who were just praying for one more day,” Tricia shared. “If our story can remind them that miracles can happen, then that’s what matters.”

Experts note that Emmett’s survival highlights how far neonatal care has come in recent years. Advances in ventilation, nutrition, and infection control have drastically improved outcomes for babies born before 24 weeks.

As for Tricia, she says her family’s Thanksgiving will be unlike any other: “We’ve been through the worst and came out stronger. Every breath he takes reminds us how precious life is.”