Against all odds, two-year-old Levi Rice is finally heading home. After a marathon stay in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) at the Children’s Hospital of Richmond at VCU, the toddler—who was given just a 20% chance of survival at birth—has officially “graduated.”
A Fragile Beginning
Levi’s journey began unexpectedly when his mother, Mary Arthur, went into early labor at just 23 weeks. Following an emergency C-section, Levi entered the world weighing only one pound.
The initial sight of her son was a shock for Mary. “They brought him by and I just lost it,” she told CBS 6 News. “You see your baby in a bag and a little one-pound baby with a tube in his mouth.”
The Long Road to Recovery
The medical team was transparent with Mary and her husband, Lamont Rice, about the severity of the situation. The first 24 hours were deemed critical, with doctors promising to do everything in their power to keep him alive.
“You couldn’t see anything but his little head,” Mary recalled.
Despite the grim prognosis and the daunting presence of life-support equipment, Levi beat the odds. His graduation from the NICU marks the end of a two-year medical battle and the beginning of a new chapter for the Rice family.
Dr. Pankaj Kumar, the neonatologist present for Levi’s birth, vividly recalls the toddler’s harrowing first moments of life.
A Critical Resuscitation
Upon delivery, Levi’s condition was dire. “There was no heart rate,” Dr. Kumar explained. “He was blue, he was limp, he was gasping.” The medical team had to act instantly, performing active resuscitation and inserting a breathing tube to stabilize him before he could be moved to the NICU.
Overcoming the Odds
Classified as a micropreemie, Levi faced a gauntlet of medical hurdles due to his underdeveloped organs. His stay was marked by:
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Continuous reliance on breathing machines.
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Surgeries for hernias and eye issues.
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Complications from brain bleeds.
The most terrifying moment came when Levi’s heart stopped entirely. His father, Lamont, remembers the scene in the room when his son flatlined. “You don’t see a dry eye in there, but they steadily worked and they worked on him,” he said.
Against the odds, the team revived him. “I remember them saying that we have a heartbeat,” Mary recalled, “and he hasn’t lost it since.”
Beyond the medical equipment, Levi’s survival was fueled by a dedicated care team that became his “second family.” This team included neonatologist Dr. Kumar, nurse practitioner Melissa Dollings, and nurses MacKenzie Babson and Howard Barasi.
Celebrating the Small Wins
For the staff, Levi’s journey was defined by a series of emotional firsts. Dr. Kumar noted that they celebrated every milestone, from the first time his parents held him to his first cry and smile. The bond between the staff and the family grew so deep that nurse Howard Barasi earned a special title.
“They started calling me Uncle Howie… that means so much to me,” Barasi shared.
From Survival to Success
After over six months in the NICU, Levi finally went home, and his progress since has been nothing short of extraordinary:
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Physical Growth: He has gained 27 pounds since his one-pound birth weight.
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Cognitive Milestones: Now two years old, his therapists report he is performing at a pre-K level, with some even suggesting he could start kindergarten early.
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Official Graduation: He is now officially discharged from NICU follow-up appointments, a final step in his transition from a fragile micropreemie to a thriving toddler.
For nurses like MacKenzie Babson, seeing Levi “grown and healthy and thriving” is a rare and moving experience. As he moves forward, he leaves the hospital not just with a clean bill of health, but with a lifelong support system of medical professionals who consider themselves part of his family.
