A Central Florida family is marking a Christmas they’ve been waiting nearly a year to celebrate — at home.
WESH2 News reports that Nisa Pennyfeather and Myles Wright spent their first Christmas with their son, Nathaniel, outside the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) after he remained hospitalized for the past 11 months.
“After him being in the hospital for so long and then finally coming home, it’s like a little dream come true,” Pennyfeather said.
“All the gifts are great,” Wright added, “but honestly, the best gift was just having him here — having him at home.”
Nathaniel, who smiled through his parents’ interview on Christmas afternoon, still needs oxygen support to help him breathe. But his parents say his progress has been remarkable.
“He’s growing wonderfully,” Pennyfeather said. “Every doctor that meets him is surprised he’s a preemie because he’s so big. He’s a whopping 19 pounds now — which is so different from when he was born.”
Nathaniel entered the world weighing just 1 lb., 3 oz. on November 11, 2024 — nearly four months before Pennyfeather’s due date.
“He had a rough start,” Wright said. “Nothing gets this kid down.”
The couple also reflected on last Christmas, when their holiday was spent making a familiar trip to the hospital instead of celebrating at home.
“We went first thing in the morning,” Pennyfeather recalled. “We did skin-to-skin with him, and just like holding him and just sitting there. He was sleeping for most of it.”
That year, Pennyfeather and her stepdad crafted tiny foam Christmas sweaters for Nathaniel — keepsakes that now hang on the tree as ornaments.
“This is actually almost as big as he was at that moment in time,” Wright said, holding one up. “Because he was only a month old.”
Since finally coming home, Nathaniel has already been busy making up for missed moments. His parents say he’s visited four Disney theme parks and met Santa Claus for the first time.
“Both of us came from really strong family traditions when it comes around Christmas,” Wright said. “So having my family now together, carrying on that tradition that was set by our parents, is honestly the biggest blessing that we both could ask for.”
Now, Pennyfeather and Wright hope their journey can reassure other parents living through long NICU stays.
“Seeing Nathaniel’s story and just knowing that there is hope — and that one day it will end, they will come home,” Wright said. “They’re going to be one of the happiest parts of your life.”
