An Alabama baby who was delivered via emergency surgery on July 5, 2020, now holds the Guinness World Record for the most premature baby to survive, PEOPLE reported.
Curtis Zy-Keith Means was delivered at the University of Alabama at Birmingham hospital when he was just 21 weeks old. At the time of his birth, little Curtis weighed just 14.8 oz (420 grams). And his premature birth came 19 weeks short of his expected November 11 due date.
Curtis, who is now 16 months old, is reportedly healthy and in good spirits. During his treatment after delivery, Guinness said the minor responded “extraordinarily well”, and his recovery was “exceptional.”
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The minor was delivered alongside his twin sister C’Asya. However, Curtis was more developed than his sister, and she, unfortunately, passed away a day after they were delivered.
“The numbers say that babies at this age will not survive. Mom’s question to me was: ‘Can we give my babies a chance?’” Dr. Brian Sims, a neonatologist who assisted with Curtis’ treatment, said. Dr. Sims was also around when the twins were born.
Moments after Curtis’ delivery, Dr. Sims said the minor “showed initially that he responded to oxygen, his heart rate went up, his numbers went up.” “He was giving us a lot of positive feedback that… he wanted to survive,” Dr. Sims added.
The doctor also said he had never seen “a baby this young be as strong as he was” in his almost 20-year medical career. “There was something special about Curtis.”
Curtis was eventually discharged from the hospital in April. That was after he spent 275 days there. Curtis’ mother, Michelle “Chelly” Butler, told Guinness her son is “very active.”
“I’m tired already!” Butler continued. “I’m very proud of him because where he came from and where he at now, I can tell the difference.”
Richard Hutchinson initially held the record for the most premature baby to survive. At the time of his birth on June 5, 2020, he weighed just 11.9 oz.
