NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WSMV) -- Last week, WSMV 4′s Holly Thompson was part of a surprise in honor of a young girl who lost her life too soon but continues to inspire others.
Born 14 weeks early, Baby Jubilee weighed just one pound, two ounces. Her parents, Lyssah and Cameron Fry were told their precious daughter had only a 50% chance of surviving her first day.
But day one passed, and this micro-preemie miracle kept fighting, defying the odds.
“She was feisty; she was sassy; she knew how to survive,” said her father, Cameron. “She was a tiny warrior princess.”
She was a fighter affectionately called “JuJu,” who captured the hearts of family, friends, hospital staff and even strangers following her journey on Facebook and praying for her. JuJu stayed in the NICU at both Centennial and then Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt – surviving and shining her light for 393 days.
“As a parent, you never want to say goodbye to your kid … especially your baby,” Lyssah Fry said. “I think one of the things you’re afraid of the most is that they’re going to be forgotten.”
So, our WSMV 4 Surprise Squad stepped in to help honor sweet JuJu. In JuJu’s honor, her mom Lyssah helped WSMV 4 bless another family, whose 16-month-old son Bentley faces familiar health challenges. WSMV 4 surprised Bentley’s mom with needed items for her little one and a $1,000 check.
“To be so selfless and do this for us and honor her, I can’t put into words how much it means to us,” said Allison Newby, Bentley’s mom.
A second surprise, also in honor of baby JuJU, was given to the NICU at Vanderbilt.
“We don’t always get to do things like that, to really honor the kids that we lose,” said Katie Smith, a childlife specialist at Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt. “That’s really special and we thank you guys so much.”
All of these blessings were made possible by our sponsors Dunkin and United Community Bank.
“This just fits everything we stand for,” said John Wilson with United Community Bank. “Community’s in our name, and we actually really believe in participating in the community and giving back.”
JuJu’s precious heart is continuing to inspire others.
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