Daijiworld Media Network- Lowa City
Iowa City, Jul 25: In a heartwarming story of survival and resilience, a baby boy born at just 21 weeks of gestation in Iowa, United States, has set a new Guinness World Record for being the most premature baby to survive.
Named Nash Keen, the tiny fighter was born on July 5, 2024, in Iowa City, a staggering 133 days before his expected due date. Weighing only 285 grams (10 ounces) and measuring 24 cm in length—less than the size of a grapefruit—Nash defied all odds and medical expectations. His survival now replaces the previous record held by a baby born in Alabama in 2020 by a margin of just one day.
Affectionately nicknamed "Nash Potato," the miracle baby spent nearly six months in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) at the University of Iowa Health Care’s Stead Family Children’s Hospital before being discharged in January 2025.
A Year of Hope and Milestones
“It feels surreal, honestly,” shared Mollie Keen, Nash’s mother. “A year ago, we weren’t sure what the future would look like, and now we’ve celebrated his first birthday. Above all, it feels like a victory. He’s come so far, and this milestone isn’t just about turning one—it’s about resilience, hope, and everything he’s overcome to get here.”
Mollie recounted the emotional moment when she first held Nash three weeks after his birth. “He was covered in wires and monitors... but the moment he was placed on my chest, all my nerves disappeared. It felt like pure relief and love.”
Nash’s early delivery followed a routine 20-week prenatal checkup where Mollie learned she was already 2 centimetres dilated. She went into labour days later, and the ensuing months were, in her words, “a blur of fear, uncertainty and hope,” but also filled with determination from a “team fighting for him every second.”
Still a Long Road Ahead
While Nash has made tremendous progress, he continues to receive specialized care. “He’s on oxygen, has a feeding tube, wears hearing aids for mild hearing loss, and attends a medical daycare where he gets all his therapies,” Mollie said.
Despite these ongoing medical needs, Nash’s story has captured hearts beyond his Iowa community. “Nash isn’t just a record breaker—he’s a heart-stealer,” said Mollie. “His journey has touched so many lives and brought people together through hope.”
Now officially recognised by Guinness World Records, Nash Keen’s remarkable story stands as a testament to medical innovation, unyielding parental love, and the indomitable spirit of the smallest fighters among us.