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Hayes Haupt delivering donation to the UAMS NICU
Family Celebrates Their ‘Walking Miracle’ with Donation to NICU
| The Haupt family recently returned to UAMS to give a gift to the NICU in honor of their son’s fourth birthday.
Micah Haupt, her husband Will, Hayes, and his 7-year-old brother Hutch were thrilled to be back in the NICU on April 8 after last year’s gift had to be presented outside due to COVID-19 protocols.
Hayes Haupt was born through emergency cesarean section at 29 weeks on March 6, 2018.
Hayes Haupt pictured with the NICU staff
Micah Haupt said her son didn’t have a heartbeat and wasn’t breathing for eight minutes after his birth. He was put on life support and experienced a brain bleed and a fast, irregular heartbeat. He spent 93 days in the UAMS NICU, and his mom calls him a “walking miracle.”
The Haupt family decided four years ago that they wanted to help others going through the same thing, so they decided to give money to the NICU’s “Tiny Hands” program. The money goes to families of premature babies.
The Haupt family
This year they raised $2,020 with the help of gift donations from U.S. Pizza, Urban Air, Walk-Ons, The Painted Pig, David’s Burgers and Share the Love. For every $10 someone gave, they were put in a drawing to win one of the sponsored prizes.
Hayes Haupt
“We definitely would not be here with our guy if it weren’t for these people. So, we’re super grateful for all that you guys do every day for babies who are fighting for their lives,” said Micah Haupt to the nurses and doctors in the NICU. “We just thank you guys so much, you have a special place in our hearts.”
She added that every year on Hayes’ birthday, the family plans to do some sort of benefit as a way of giving back.