Watch the tearful interaction below.
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Video credit: Rumble
Four years ago, Trevor and Sarah Topilko were expecting their first child. However, what happened next was not how they imagined they would become new parents.
On the 27th week of her pregnancy, Sarah developed a life-threatening condition that resulted in multiple organ failure. She had to undergo an emergency delivery even as she was fighting for her life on the operating table at Royal Alexandra Hospital in Edmonton, Canada.
And so Baby Connor was born weighing only 2lb., 1oz. and not much bigger than the equivalent weight of butter. In fact, Sarah said later that when she was finally strong enough to see him in the NICU, Connor had dropped down to 1 lb., 10 oz.
Despite the trying situation, fortunately for the Topilkos, NICU nurse, Gwenn O’Neill Stollery was there.
According to Trevor, Gwenn did little things for them and Connor that went above and beyond her duty as a nurse. One of them was to make little baby clothes that perfectly fit the tiny Connor and could easily be put on or removed even with all the tubes and wires attached.
After 65 days in the NICU, Connor was finally able to come home. Four years later, Connor is very much a cheerful and active boy and even has a younger brother named Bently. But the Topilkos never forgot the kindness that nurse Gwenn showed them and wanted to thank her in their own special way.
Gwenn’s manager Karen and the rest of the health care team were aware of what the Topilkos wanted to do and set up an emotional meeting. Under the guise of a team meeting to discuss a complex NICU case, Karen started describing a patient and it was none other than Connor’s case from four years ago.
Karen then starts playing a recording of Sarah and soon the whole Topilko family walks into the room.
Gwenn is trying to hold back her emotions as she recognizes Connor walking towards her with a bouquet of flowers in hand. The tiny and vulnerable baby she took care of four years ago was now strong enough to personally thank her.
Working in the NICU can be stressful because you see parents experience some of the worst days of their lives and there isn’t always a happy ending. But it can also be extremely rewarding when you see those same babies go home to their families.
The Topilkos recognized that and gave Gwenn one of the sweetest thank you gestures out there.