Ohio-based parents Rhyelle and DeVonte Malcom are celebrating a major milestone as their son, Aasiah, finally came home after an 11-month stay in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU).
The couple, who now have three children, shared with 13 Action News that Aasiah has already faced numerous challenges.
Their ordeal has inspired the couple to establish an organization called “Abundance of Love.” This group will support other families who have experienced the loss of a child or have babies in the NICU, to assure them that they are not alone.
Despite doctors’ initial doubts about Aasiah’s survival during his extended NICU stay, the little boy proved to be a resilient fighter, making the family feel “complete” at last.
“You never would’ve known he went through the things he went through, looking at him,” said Rhyelle during the exclusive interview.
Born extremely prematurely at only 23 weeks and weighing just over a pound, baby Aasiah’s prognosis was grim, according to his parents. They revealed that they felt helpless and turned to prayer for their son.
“I gotta stand on faith,” Rhyelle told People. “I gotta keep believing.”
During his stay in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), their baby boy was diagnosed with chronic lung disease. The devoted father recalls wishing that if his son were to pass away, it would be “peacefully.”
DeVonte reflected on the difficult moment, telling the outlet, “Let him go peacefully. And we’ve been through that before, and we didn’t want that kind of pain, and we knew there was something that could be done.”
After the tragic loss of Jiyah, their first premature baby, Rhyelle and DeVonte were determined that the outcome would be different when their second premature son, Aasiah, was born. The whole family, including his older siblings, 2-year-old Meyomi and 4-year-old Raiyon, stood united in this resolve.
They overcame all the hardships together while baby Aasiah was in the NICU, including the long, late nights they often spent apart.
“Seeing the end goal, seeing that there’s a victory at the end, I think that’s what kept me going,” DeVonte recounted.
Rhyelle shared with the outlet the difficulties of an extended stay in the NICU as she eagerly anticipated the moment she could finally bring her baby home.
“So many people come in with car seats and leave with their babies and we were there another month and then another month and another month and it was just like, ‘Man, when is it going to be our turn?’ ” Rhyelle said. “And when it came, the feeling was indescribable.”
After spending his first 11 months in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), fighting for his life, baby Aasiah finally came home just in time for his first birthday. Rhyelle told the outlet that it felt like their “prayers were heard,” a moment of profound relief and gratitude after a challenging journey.
Reflecting on all the emotional and medical hurdles their family has been through, DeVonte shared his heartfelt sentiments with the outlet, saying that their family “just feels like we’re complete now” with their baby finally home.
