Every expecting mother dreams of welcoming a healthy baby into the world. For Cheyenne Potts, the anticipation of becoming a first-time mother was filled with joy and excitement.
However, her pregnancy took an unexpected turn when doctors delivered devastating news: her unborn son was not developing as anticipated. They even suggested terminating the pregnancy, a heart-wrenching decision for any parent to consider.
After careful deliberation, Cheyenne and Michael, her husband, chose to give their son a chance at life, despite being told he was “broken and breaking.” Fortunately, their decision proved to be the right one.
Reflecting on their son’s journey, the couple shared with Love What Matters that despite the dire predictions from doctors that little Leo wouldn’t survive past a week if he were born alive, he has defied the odds and is now a thriving one-year-old.
Leo’s grandmother revealed to Love What Matters, “Our little man, Leo, has a disease called Osteogenesis Imperfecta… brittle bone disease.” In the days following his birth, Leo’s parents began arranging his funeral. However, they ultimately chose to defy the grim prognosis and act as though the doctors’ predictions were mistaken.
Leo’s grandmother shared, “But then we decided to do our best to plan as though the doctors were wrong. Talk amongst ourselves about what life with Leo might be like. We spent the next 4 months in this manner.”
Born shortly before Christmas, the family made extensive preparations, believing it would be Leo’s first and last Christmas. Fortunately, their expectations were proven wrong.
Despite being born weighing 5 pounds, and 11 ounces, Leo proved to be the strongest fighter.
“Crying, alive, and showing remarkable resilience on his own! The doctors’ predictions were proven wrong,” wrote his grandmother. “Was he flawless? No, he was beautifully imperfect, but most importantly, he was HERE. He was alive and displaying an incredible fighting spirit. That day marked the beginning of Leo’s journey to chart his course.
“Today, six months later, Leo continues to hold the pen…” the family reflected as Leo celebrated his six-month milestone.
Following his birth, Leo spent six days at Stallman NICU before being transferred to the Children’s NICU, where he remained for an additional eight days before being discharged from the hospital.
“We were asked about standout moments, and honestly, there are too many to count,” Leo’s family expressed. “He is an incredibly joyful spirit, touching and inspiring people wherever he goes, especially his family.”
Despite facing numerous challenges, Leo’s family remains thankful for every moment they share with him.