photo #8875627

Over the past nine months, my wife Brooklyn has carried our baby. Early on, we found out he was very sick. Around the third or fourth month, doctors told us he had severe hydrocephalus. In the old days, people called it “water on the brain” because too much fluid was accumulating. We were eventually referred to Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, where some of the country’s top fetal specialists delivered devastating news. They said his condition was extremely severe—so severe that they stopped measuring the fluid levels because it no longer mattered. The MRI images were heartbreaking. We were told there was over a ninety percent chance that our baby would either die shortly after birth or survive with such severe cognitive impairments that any quality of life would be nearly impossible. We attended heartbreaking meetings with palliative care about ventilators and unimaginable decisions we might have to face. Brooklyn moved to Cincinnati to be close to the hospital while I commuted, trying to balance work and taking care of Sophie and Lily at home. On July 8, Brooklyn went into labor. Just fifteen minutes before the C-section, we sat down with the doctors again and discussed when we might have to remove life support and let our baby go to heaven. And then it happened. Charlie Edward Schnarr was born crying. That cry was the sweetest sound I have ever heard. Charlie stayed in the neonatal intensive care unit until yesterday, and now we are finally home together. He is a beautiful baby doing all the things babies are supposed to do. He has mild ventricular enlargement that we will monitor, but otherwise, he is thriving. The doctors said they cannot explain what happened. Somehow, his brain cleared the blockage on its own and redirected the fluid. Experienced nurses and highly respected doctors continued to use the words miracle and divine intervention. We know thousands of family members, friends, clients, colleagues, and even strangers were praying for us. I wholeheartedly believe God heard those prayers. I believe He intervened and gave us this gift. I am beyond grateful. Thank you to everyone who prayed, reached out, and loved us through this journey. Prayer is powerful. God is real. And He still performs miracles. God bless, Nick [ ] ☘️