Teen Returns to NICU 18 Years After 100-Day Fight for Life

Eighteen years ago, Stihl Wagner entered the world weighing just 2 pounds, 2 ounces. His mom, Molly Wagner, went into labor at only 20 weeks pregnant, spending two months in the hospital before her son arrived.

Stihl spent his first 100 days in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Ascension St. Joseph's Hospital in Hartford, Wisconsin. Tubes, monitors, and alarms surrounded the tiny baby as doctors and nurses worked to keep him alive.

Among those caregivers was Shawnda Van Derel, a NICU nurse who still remembers Stihl's name after all these years. "There's different names that stick out, and Stihl was one of them," she said.

The NICU is where families meet their smallest fighters, but reunions rarely happen once babies go home healthy. Most families never get the chance to say a proper thank you away from the stress and uncertainty of those early days.

This spring, the Wagner family made that reunion possible. Fresh from graduating Hartford Union High School, Stihl returned to the hospital with his mom to meet the team who cared for him as a newborn.

Van Derel knows how overwhelming the NICU experience can be for parents. "Sometimes for these mothers, it can be a traumatizing experience," she explained. She hopes families like the Wagners remember the good moments alongside the scary ones.

Sunny's Take

For Molly Wagner, seeing her son healthy and grown brought everything full circle. "You don't realize how much goes into everything," she said, grateful for the chance to show the staff the results of their dedication.

She wanted the nurses to witness what their work truly means. "I think it's important that you guys see that," Molly told the team.

Stihl now stands healthy and strong, planning to study sports performance at UW-Parkside this fall. The boy who once measured just 14 inches long is ready to chase his dreams, thanks to the people who never gave up on him.