Danielle and Hunter Wiebusch with their daughter Hallie.Photo:Danielle Wiebusch
Danielle Wiebusch
Danielle Wiebusch was surprised to learn she was pregnant just two months after marrying her high school sweetheart Hunter in June 2022. But the couple from Williston, North Dakota, soon warmed up to the idea of being parents sooner than expected.
“It was nerve wracking,” says Danielle, 26. “They were very convinced that she was not going to make it.”
Hunter and Danielle Wiebusch with newborn daughter Hallie at Children’s Minnesota in April 2023.Danielle Wiebusch
“If she wasn’t able to be here with us, then the higher powers were going to be in control of deciding that — I didn’t want to be the one to decide that for her,” Danielle says.
Hallie was first referred to specialists in Bismarck before ending up at Children’s Minnesota hospital in Minneapolis, nearly 600 miles from home.
Hallie Wiebusch.Danielle Wiebusch
“There are very serious ramifications,” Dr. Fisher says.
Hallie Wiebusch at Children’s Minnesota in Minneapolis.Danielle Wiebusch
When she was just three days old, Hallie had a 3.5-hour surgery to put all her organs back in the right places without injuring the them or damaging the lungs. “Everything went well,” Dr. Fisher says. Since Hallie’s umbilical cord was attached to the omphalocele, Fisher had to surgically reconstruct her belly button.
“At the end of the surgery, she had everything back where it was supposed to be,” Dr. Fisher says. Her intestines her liver, everything. And her lungs were okay.”
Hallie Wiebusch left the NICU on July 19, 2023.Danielle Wiebusch
Hallie was finally discharged on August 25, 2023, to continue recovering at home.
“She’s doing really, really well,” Dr. Fisher says. “She’s thriving."
These days Hallie loves bubbles and splashing in the bath. “She’s a spitfire,” her mother says. She’s learning to talk and give kisses.
He adds jokingly, “She’s going to be able to run around and have fun and be ornery and do all the fun things that young kids do to their parents,”
Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
Danielle and Hunter Wiebusch with their daughter Hallie.Danielle Wiebusch
And they will relish every moment.
“I still can’t believe that she’s here with us and she’s doing great,” Danielle says. “I just want her to have the most normal life that she can have.”
Hunter adds, “And just to do everything that she ever wants to do.”
Her parents share Hallie’s story to encourage other parents not to lose hope.
“Miracles do happen,” says Danielle. “I am just so happy that we didn’t give up on her."
source: people.com
