When Damian was born, we knew that it was only a matter of time before he developed epilepsy. From the moment of his birth, there was a heavy cloud of uncertainty hanging over us. Doctors had already warned us that it wasn’t a matter ofif but when he would start experiencing seizures.
The first signs came early. At just one day old, Damian underwent his first MRI, and the results confirmed our worst fears. The amount of damage to his brain was so severe that it seemed inevitable that seizures would become part of his journey.
Before Damian was even born, he had already fought a battle no child should have to face. Early in my pregnancy, when Damian was still just a tiny developing embryo, he suffered multiple catastrophic strokes. These strokes were so massive that doctors told me they could have taken his life.
Most of the time, when something as devastating as this happens in the first trimester, it ends in miscarriage. But Damian was a fighter from the very start. The fact that he survived those strokes and continued to develop in the womb was a miracle in itself.
I’ll never forget the first ultrasound. It was clear, even then, that something wasn’t right. Damian’s brain already looked abnormal. At first, we thought he might have hydrocephalus, a condition where cerebrospinal fluid accumulates in the brain. But as my pregnancy progressed, the tests became more specific, and by my third trimester, it was clear that Damian’s brain had suffered strokes during the early stages of development.
The fluid we had seen on the initial ultrasound wasn’t from hydrocephalus—it was the fluid filling in the damaged parts of his brain.
As we waited for Damian to be born, my heart was heavy with fear, but also filled with hope. We had no idea what the future would look like for our baby, but we knew that we were going to do everything in our power to give him the best chance at life.
When Damian was five months old, we received a terrifying confirmation that our worst fears had come to pass. He began having seizures. At first, I didn’t even recognize them for what they were. They weren’t like the dramatic, convulsing seizures you see in movies.
Instead, his little body would stiffen up for a few seconds, and his eyes would glaze over. His mouth would turn a little purple around the edges, and the stiffness would pass as quickly as it had started. It wasn’t obvious at first, but as it started happening more frequently, I began to realize what it was.
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One evening, as the seizures occurred more often, I couldn’t shake the feeling that these were more than just random episodes. I was terrified, watching as my precious baby’s body went stiff and his face lost its usual color. That’s when it hit me—these were seizures. And in that moment, my heart stopped. I knew I had to get Damian to the hospital, and so, with panic rising in my chest, I rushed him to the ER.
Arriving at the emergency room, I checked him in, my mind racing with fear and worry. Within moments, a nurse came out to look at him. We barely had time to settle into the waiting area before they called us back to his room. Damian had fallen asleep in my arms, but within minutes, he began seizing again, this time in his sleep.
I felt my entire body freeze. The beeping of the monitors in the room began to increase in volume. Damian’s oxygen levels were low, and his heart rate was high. My heart broke as I saw my little boy in such distress. A family member who had come with me ran out to get a nurse, and by the time the nurse arrived, the seizure had just about ended. But the damage had already been done. There was no mistaking what had happened. Damian was having seizures. The doctors and nurses confirmed what we feared, and from that moment forward, there was no doubt in anyone’s mind.
The next few hours were a blur of tests, doctors, and medical jargon I could barely keep up with. The room felt like it was closing in on me. My heart ached for my son, for the pain and suffering he was going through. The moments when he would have seizures in his sleep were the hardest, especially when I couldn’t do anything to stop it. I had never felt more helpless in my life.
After that night, things started to change for Damian. He was quickly moved from emergency care to more specialized care, where the doctors could monitor him more closely and begin a treatment plan. The diagnosis was clear—Damian had epilepsy, and his brain damage from the strokes was causing these seizures. We were devastated, but at the same time, we were grateful that we were finally getting the answers we needed.
The next months were a blur of hospital visits, medications, and adjustments. Damian was placed on a regimen of seizure medications, and while it helped, it wasn’t a cure. There were still episodes. There were still days of uncertainty and worry.
But through it all, Damian remained the bright, loving little boy we had always known. His smile, his giggles, and his determination to overcome his challenges were enough to keep us going, even when the road ahead seemed impossible.
As his parents, we learned to cope with the uncertainty of what each day would bring. We learned how to manage his seizures and keep track of triggers, but it was never easy. There were still nights when I lay awake, my mind racing with thoughts of what might happen if we couldn’t control the seizures. I couldn’t help but wonder about his future—what kind of life he would have, how his epilepsy would affect him as he grew.
But over time, I realized that my fears didn’t define Damian’s life. He was so much more than his condition. Damian’s ability to love, to smile, to fight for his place in the world despite all the odds stacked against him was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen. Every small victory, every moment of joy, felt like a miracle. And with every new day, Damian showed us that there was always hope, no matter how dark the day before had been.
Damian is now a few years older, and while he still faces challenges, he continues to surprise us with his strength. He has defied expectations in so many ways, and every day is a reminder of how far he’s come. He’s growing, learning, and finding his way in a world that isn’t always kind to those who are different. But Damian is different in the best possible way—he is a fighter, and nothing will ever take that away from him.
As I look at my son today, I am filled with gratitude for the journey we’ve been on, for the strength he has shown, and for the love that surrounds him. The road hasn’t been easy, but Damian has taught me more than I could ever have imagined about resilience, about faith, and about the power of love. Every day, I’m reminded that the most important thing in life is not the struggles we face, but how we face them—with courage, with hope, and with the knowledge that we are not alone.
Damian, my sweet boy, you inspire me every day. You’ve already accomplished so much, and I know the world is yours to conquer. Keep fighting, keep shining, and know that I will always be right here, cheering you on every step of the way. You are my hero.
Mateo’s Miracle: A Tough Toddler’s Journey of Love and Resilience.T378
They call him Mateo, and to his family, he is nothing short of a miracle. Mateo is the Gift of God, a little boy who has defied the odds since the moment he was born. Adopted last December by Stuart and Shelby Rowe of Pike Road, Alabama, Mateo’s journey has been one of perseverance, love, and an unbreakable spirit. His story, while filled with hardship, is one of incredible resilience and strength, and to know him is to witness a true gift.
Shelby Rowe, a nurse in the NICU at Baptist South Montgomery, has spent 17 years caring for babies who are fighting for their lives. Yet, when Mateo came into her life, it was different. This wasn’t just another baby she was caring for—it was a child who would eventually become her son. It was on September 8th, 2022, when
