When Heather was 16 weeks pregnant, she collapsed on the military base and had to have an appendectomy. Doctors said she would recover, but the pain persisted. Six weeks later, her water broke, and at only 23 weeks, Heather gave birth to Olive in the hallway of the hospital.
At birth, Olive was only 11 inches long, weighed only 1 pound, 5 ounces, and her eyes were fused shut. She was given only a 6% chance to live.
Olive stayed in the NICU for 356 days, where Heather watched her die 13 times. As they approached a year in the NICU, Heather begged to take Olive home. Doctors allowed it but warned that Heather and Ben were probably taking her home to die.
Eleven years later, Olive and her precious family traveled with Bert’s Big Adventure to Walt Disney World in February 2024.
She may have only been 1 pound, 5 ounces at birth, but beautiful Olive is growing up! Recently, lifting her up the stairs has been getting harder and harder for her mom, Heather, who is mighty and a member of our military but petite in stature. Additionally, now that dedicated stay-at-home dad, Ben, has started working outside the home a few nights a week, it’s been especially hard for Heather when she’s alone with Olive.
They’ve dreamed of installing a chair lift at home, but insurance denied their request.
When our friends at Zaxby’s heard Olive’s story, they knew they had to do something to help this incredible family transport Olive up and down the stairs.
At our Send-Off Celebration in February, they surprised Olive and her family with the news that they were setting them up with Premier Elevator and Lift to outfit their home stairs with a brand new chair lift. In addition, Woodhouse Avalon treated the family to a $500 gift certificate to book massages and ease their overworked muscles.
In March, Premier Elevator & Lift completed the installation, and sweet Olive took her inaugural trip. Your Party Princess was on hand to celebrate this momentous occasion with the family! Thank you so much to our friends at Zaxby’s for making Olive’s home more accessible!
