May is for Miracles: Teddy Ladermann’s journey

LANSING, Mich. (WILX) - Most families bring their children home right after birth—Darrek and Rebecca Ladermann waited for a painstaking 72 days.

“It didn’t take long to realize that wasn’t going to be the case, and that was pretty scary,” said Darrek.

It was a journey the Ladermanns didn’t expect to make to finally have baby Teddy in their arms every day.

Teddy was born just before his mom, Rebecca, started her third trimester, which landed him an extended stay at Sparrow Hospital’s Regional Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.

“I don’t think something that we planned on, or that any other families really plan on, is having a stay in the RNICU,” said Rebecca.

It was Teddy’s size, weight, and difficulty breathing that kept him in the NICU for so long.

Rebecca says it’s every parent’s nightmare, but the around-the-clock care Sparrow provided made it easier to bear.

“I wouldn’t wish, and I’ve said this before,” said Rebecca. “I wouldn’t wish a NICU stay on any parent, but if you do, I hope it’s at Sparrow because they’re gonna take really awesome care of your kid.”

Rebecca is a Sparrow nurse herself, which only adds to the comfort of having Teddy in the hospital’s hands.

To anyone else, Teddy looks like you’re average 10-month-old baby, but his parents will always know what it took to save his life, and they’re proud Sparrow could be a part of that story.

“The people up there did the best that they could every day to make us feel better about the state he was in and the care that he was getting,” said Darrek. “Just explaining things and being there to take care of him. It was great.”

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