Aurora Brewer
Aurora—known lovingly as Rory—entered the world earlier than anyone expected. From the very beginning, her story and life would be anything but simple. For parents, Samantha and Dylan, Rory is their only child. Early in their relationship, Sam became pregnant with twin boys, whom they lost at 6 and 16 weeks. After time to heal,…
Olivia Spiess
Olivia Spiess was born at 30 weeks’ gestation in January 2021, the youngest of four children to parents Gretchen and Don. Following a pregnancy complicated by pre-eclampsia and COVID infection, Gretchen, delivered Olivia by emergency C-section, and from her first moments of life, Olivia faced extraordinary challenges. She struggled to breathe at birth, requiring prolonged…
Quincy Rainey
Before February 2026, Quincy was a healthy, highly active 17‑year‑old junior at Rockwood Summit High School. A dedicated multi-sport athlete, he trained year-round and was accustomed to intense physical demands, pushing through injuries and conditioning seven days a week. Quincy was being scouted by colleges for athletic scholarships and maintained a full academic and extracurricular…
Bristol Horner
Bristol is a sassy, outgoing 3‑year‑old and a true “girly girl.” She loves Frozen—especially Elsa and Anna—playing dress‑up in her princess gowns, singing at the top of her lungs, and watching K‑Pop Demon Hunters on her tablet. She owns multiple pairs of cowboy boots, her favorite pair covered in rhinestones. She lives in Marine, Illinois,…
Wyatt Beckett
Before hospitals, transfusions, or isolation ever entered his world, Wyatt was simply Wyatt: an active, unstoppable 3‑year‑old growing up on a busy farm almost two hours southeast of SSM Health Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital. His days were spent riding tractors, chasing goats and donkeys, helping bale hay, and exploring acres of open land with his…
Brody Finnegan
Brody Finnegan, a bright‑eyed little boy from Ballwin with an infectious smile and a love for Cheetos and Gummy Skittles, has grown up surrounded by care, courage, and community. The hospital feels like an extension of home for him and his parents, Katie and Allan. Their doctors, nurses, therapists, and caregivers are his friends. During…
Josephine Maessen
When Samantha found out she was pregnant for the first time, in December 2024, she imagined a smooth and joyful journey. And for the first 20 weeks, that’s exactly what it felt like. Everything checked out perfectly—until her anatomy scan, when doctors discovered a ventricular septal defect (VSD) in her baby’s heart. From then on,…
Colten Hong
Watching 9-year-old Colten eagerly polish off a full plate of his favorite breakfast sausages is a moment of joy his mother, Nicole, will never take for granted. For most families, it’s an ordinary morning. For Nicole, it’s a miracle—one she once thought she might never see. Colten entered the world weighing just 1 pound, 11…
Jadai Williams
Masterfully navigating a baby in one arm and steering a stroller filled with medical equipment and monitors with the other, Deja Adams and her daughter, Jadai, emerged from their clinic appointment with reports of excellent progress. At 13 months old, Jadai is a sweet bundle of resilience, rocking her tracheostomy like it’s the cutest accessory…
Olive Craft
Seventeen-year-old Olive is a stunning young lady. She is a high school junior with a recently acquired driver’s license; a self-taught acoustic guitar player with the world at her feet. Being able to attend school full-time in person, take a trip to Target, and walk the mall – these are the happiest and most “normal”…