Miracle baby Curtis Means, whose second trimester birth and subsequent survival earned him a spot in the Guinness Book of World Records, is heading to kindergarten this fall.
Curtis Zy-Keith Means, who was born at just one day over 21 weeks’ gestation, turned five years old this past weekend.
When he was born 132 days early on July 5, 2020, Curtis weighed just 14.8 ounces and was given less than a one percent chance of survival. In a Facebook post last week, his mother, Michelle Butler, announced that Curtis is now a preschool graduate and preparing to start kindergarten this fall.
His birth took place at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) Hospital along with his twin sister, C’Aysa, who did not survive. Curtis spent nine months in neonatal care before being released.
In surviving, Curtis is now known not only as a miracle child but a breakthrough. He is currently listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as the most premature surviving baby in history.
Even after his hospital release, Curtis remained on oxygen and received ongoing care.
It was his mother, Michelle, who has been acknowledged for fighting to give her son life, calling his miracle birth and budding health a blessing.
Thanks to medical advancements, premature babies like Curtis continue to survive.
His mother said, “It was a difficult journey, but I am grateful for the UAB team and their constant support. They took the time to educate me and made sure I knew what was happening every step of the way. They truly cared about my son and me.”
Curtis is not alone in his journey from preemie to preschooler. In 2022, the world’s most premature surviving twins — a boy and a girl — were born at 22 weeks to Shakina Rajendram and her husband, Kevin Nadarajah.
Adiah, the little girl, weighed just 0.72 pounds, while her brother, Adrial, born 23 minutes later, weighed 0.92 pounds. They would spend the first six months of their lives in critical condition being treated at a neonatal unit at Toronto’s Mount Sinai Hospital before going home.
This past March, the miracle twins celebrated their third birthday and are “the most amazing big brother and big sister” to their new baby sister, Alissa, according to their mother, who wrote in a celebratory Instagram post: “Life is chaotic and noisy, but also full of fun and laughter when Adiah and Adrial are around. We are so grateful that God chose us to be their parents, and we celebrate the lives of our two beautiful miracles every day.”
Adiah in the NICU immediately after birth (left); Adrial holding his mother’s hand (middle); the twins celebrating their third birthday in March (right)/Instagram.
Medical technologies continue to provide ways to help young children like Curtis, Adiah, and Adrial have a chance at life. They are part of a small but growing group of micro-preemie babies who are surviving extremely early births.
For example, baby Jari Lopez was born on February 22, 2021, at just 24 weeks’ gestation, weighing only 11.5 ounces, roughly the size of a loaf of bread. Weighing just 325 grams, he was the smallest infant ever treated at the facility. After a 127-day stay, he was finally released, with medical staff cheering his departure.
A California couple, Latoya Burnett and Rommell Rice, also celebrated their son Royal’s first birthday after he defied all odds. Born at just 21 weeks and six days on February 13, 2024, Royal weighed only 15 ounces. After hearing about the miracle story of Curtis Means, the couple traveled to UAB Hospital in Birmingham, where Royal was successfully delivered and returned home after spending nine months in the NICU.
Sadly, 32 states and the District of Columbia allow babies to be aborted up to 22 weeks’ gestation, approximately the same period in which all these precious children were born. Nine states and the nation’s capital have no gestational limits.
Scripture teaches that every person is created in God’s image (Genesis 1:27). Psalm 139:13-16 supports the view that life begins at conception, while in Jeremiah 1:5, God told the prophet Jeremiah, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you” (Jeremiah 1:5). God knows each life before conception and has a purpose for every individual from conception.
Life is not to be abandoned or ended but protected. Today’s high-quality ultrasounds offer unprecedented insight into life in the womb, but God’s Word offers eternal wisdom about the value of every child.
Every moment of life is critical. God is the giver of life, and no matter what the world may say, He still hears and answers prayers. Every baby is created in His image and holds immeasurable worth. With love and care, even the tiniest, most fragile lives can bring joy and blessings beyond measure.
PHOTOS: (Top left) Curtis Means shortly after birth on July 5, 2020, and (top right) celebrating his graduation from pre-school earlier this year. CREDIT: Facebook
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