The staff at South Shore University Hospital had a special birthday celebration on Friday for a 1-year-old boy and his mother who beat incredible odds.
One year ago, Brentwood resident Yanira Soriano was pregnant and on a ventilator with COVID-19. She had to undergo an emergency cesarean section.
South Shore University Hospital nurse Denise Mannino says the baby, named Walter, was safe after the procedure, but Soriano was still struggling.
"The one day I took care of her, she died almost two times on me that day," Mannino says. "I remember whispering in her ear that she couldn't die because had a baby at home that she had to get to."
Yanira pulled through, and 11 days later she was holding her newborn boy in her arms.
"For some reason in that room, she just fought and fought," Mannino says. "She was sedated and paralyzed and she just fought so hard.”
A party for the mother and son was put together by staff at the hospital on Friday. Many staff members also brought some birthday gifts for Walter.