Times Union: Former Preemie Celebrates 18th Birthday at St. Peter’s Hospital

In 1999, Molly Sear was born 14 weeks early at St. Peter’s Hospital, weighing less than 3 pounds. Today, she is a dynamic, athletic, healthy young woman preparing to go to college.

To celebrate her 18th birthday, Molly and her family stopped by St. Peter’s Hospital to say hello and offer their thanks to several nurses who cared for Molly as an infant in the St. Peter’s Hospital NICU. A Times Union reporter and photographer were there to capture the moment, and the story that ran the next day was touching and sweet!

From the story:

Sear and her family drive from Johnstown to the hospital each year to count their blessings and thank the staff. The young woman began life as a preemie in the hospital’s neonatal intensive care unit, so small that her father’s wedding band fit around her arm.

“It was a miracle,” said Sear’s mother, Lisa Smith. “She was given a 20 percent chance of living, and she beat all the odds.”

Sear never thought it odd to celebrate her birthday at the hospital, she said. She would peer through the window at the babies in the NICU. Over time, she came to understand the significance of the place and how lucky she was.

“I come back and thank everybody that I’m still alive,” Sear said.

Click here to see the full story.