A NICU Graduate: DeAndré’s Journey Home
Born in April 2025, at just 29 weeks and 6 days, baby DeAndré entered the world a true fighter. After spending his first 29 days in a Syracuse area NICU, his parents, Kira and Elijah, advocated for transferring him to Samaritan’s Car-Freshner Center for Women and Children, the region’s only Level II Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), to be closer to home—and to their 2-year-old daughter, Maelani.
In May, DeAndré arrived at Samaritan, and after 104 days of dedicated care in a NICU, he was officially named a NICU graduate.
Throughout DeAndre’s journey—marked by unstable blood pressure and fluctuating heart rate—his family found not just care, but compassion. From Dr. Karl Komar and Dr. Craig Guerin to the incredible NICU nurses who made them feel comforted and supported. Kira and Elijah describe one nurse in particular, Amanda, as “simply phenomenal.”
“We’re so thankful that DeAndré could receive excellent care close to home,” said Kira. “It meant everything to be close to home for our daughter while still being present for our newborn.”
Now back home in Black River, DeAndré is healthy, thriving, and finally in the arms of his big sister. His journey is a reminder that NICU babies are our most precious patients, and they are fighters.
Photo credit: Mykal Leah Photography
Exceptional Care for our Most Precious Patients
Samaritan offers the only Level II NICU in the region, making it the largest and most advanced maternity provider in the tri-county area. Samaritan is also a Children’s Miracle Network (CMN) Hospital that focuses on supporting families with children in a medical crisis.