DRAPER, Utah — Joy and cheer spread across the neonatal intensive care unit at MountainStar Healthcare’s Lone Peak hospital as Santa came to visit. Santa and Mrs. Claus came down to the hospital — traveling in style thanks to the City of Draper fire department.
“It’s humbling to be here,” Santa said. “At first, what we saw brought tears to my eyes.”
He and Mrs Claus visited the little Utahns, and each was dressed in a Christmas outfit. When they arrived at little Brook Ross’s room, his mom, Emilee, and his grandma dressed him up in a Santa suit. Ross said it’s been difficult, but the support from her family and the hospital has been invaluable.
“I think for the first 24 hours I was in shock,” she said. “It’s hard to leave every day without your baby.”
She said he was born five weeks early, but now he’s gotten stronger every day. “I did get to hold him right when he came out,” she said. “I got to hold him for about 60 seconds before he was whisked away to the warmer.”
Her message to other parents going through this situation is to stay strong. “They’re in the best place, and they are doing what they need to do to stay healthy,” she said.
But the visit from Santa was the boost that she and the other families in the NICU needed. “It reminded me of what Christmas is all about and that’s family,” she said. “And I’ve just totally forgotten myself during the holidays, it’s just a different experience. All I want is my baby home.”
And this week, that wish became true. Brooks was able to go home and celebrate his first Christmas at home with his family. He left the hospital with a little cap and gown, the first of many graduations, after all that hard work paid off.
