In a heartwarming coincidence, a father and his son both had the same exceptional nurse in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). David Caldwell and his son, Zayne Alexander Caldwell, both were cared for by Lissa McGowan.
As David’s fiancée, Renata Freydin, shared on Facebook, Zayne was born 10 weeks early. As a result, he was immediately admitted into the NICU at Saint Peter’s University Hospital in New Brunswick, New Jersey.
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While Zayne was in the hospital, David and Renata were looking through photos of the new dad as a baby when they noticed an unlikely coincidence; both David and Zayne were treated by the very same nurse.
Dad Learns He and His Son Both Had the Same NICU Nurse 34 Years Apart
David was also born prematurely and was also admitted into the NICU. While he was a patient, he cared for by McGowan. The next day, the couple brought the photo into the hospital to share with the other nurses.
“We brought the [photo] in, and two of the other nurses confirmed that it was [McGowan],” David told Good Morning America. “And my fiancé lost it and was like, ‘I told you it was her.’”
McGowan wasn’t working that day, but when they went back the next day, she was working. It was Valentine’s Day when the new parents got to share the photo with her. “I have never had this happen before,” McGowan said on the morning show.
“It’s kind of unusual having your preemie come back after 34 years … but to have a dad come in and be the dad of a preemie is a whole other story.”
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“At any given day, there are 20 nurses working in the unit,” McGowan continued. “Just to be in the area that he was admitted to and being on that side of the room, everything kind of lined up to put us together.”
The family is happy to report that Zayne is doing well. “He’s a fighter,” said his proud dad.