The Baby Who Came Back to Life: Hussein Zakarriyya Oliver Soan Linley Lebon

At 34 weeks and 4 days, Marishka never expected her son to arrive so unexpectedly. What should have been a tranquil and joyful moment transformed into a day filled with fear, prayer, and unimaginable strength.

She woke up that morning feeling unwell, brushing off the discomfort as mere gas. However, by the time she got to work, contractions had already started, and then she noticed blood. Panic set in. She notified family and friends while her colleagues hurried to take her to the clinic.

In the labor ward, midwives attempted to reassure her, but her gynecologist delivered news that changed everything: there was no time to prepare her baby's lungs. The delivery had to happen immediately. Alone, without her husband or mother by her side, Marishka was taken into surgery.

When her son was born, he did not cry. Wrapped in an orange towel, his tiny body was turning blue, and he was rushed directly to the neonatologist. He had no heartbeat.

For 23 days, her baby remained in the NICU—fragile, silent, and connected to machines that breathed and monitored for him. Every visit was a journey filled with fear and faith, as Marishka traveled across the island while still recovering from her C-section. She held on to prayer, her husband’s strength, and the support of her family and colleagues, whispering the same message to her baby each day: “We are fighting together.”

Then, one Tuesday morning, hope emerged. Her son had been moved out of the NICU. Gradually, he grew stronger—first to the nursery, and then finally home. Today, Hussein Zakarriyya Oliver Soan Linley Lebon is almost four months old—alert, thriving, and a living testament to quiet resilience.

Marishka’s message to mothers of premature babies: “Don’t lose hope. Talk to your baby. Premature babies require extra attention—but that is what makes them strong.” Her story serves as a reminder that miracles don’t always manifest with a bang. Sometimes, they return to the world small, silent, and unstoppable.