Cape Coral baby defies odds with miraculous recovery from health challenges

CAPE CORAL, Fla. —

At eight and a half pounds and 19 inches, Mike and Taylor Pudlin consider their 5-month-old baby, Blake, to be a heavyweight champion.

"He's here, and he's healthy. I mean, the things that he's accomplished, nobody expected," said Mike.

Not because eight and a half pounds is heavy at Blake's age, but because the amount of adversity he's faced is.

"She said he weighs an ounce less than a block of Philadelphia cream cheese ... and he is as tall as a Coke bottle," said Taylor.

Blake was born at less than one pound on Aug. 29 last year at Golisano Children's Hospital — his chances of survival were slim.

"They couldn't find his heartbeat on the monitor. It was shallow when they found it, and the beats were very, very slow," said Taylor.

After nearly 2 months in the NICU, Blake developed sepsis. His lungs stopped working.

"We got a call on our way to the hospital one morning from the doctor, and she said, 'Blake is just not participating anymore,'" said Mike.

"They said today's the day, he's not doing good. Bring your kids so they can meet him in case," said Mike.

Just when it seemed nearly impossible that this family would take home their newest member, Blake proved otherwise.

"She's like, it looks good, and I just remember being like, what do you mean it looks good?" said Taylor. I just felt my shoulders sit back for the first time in three days. After that, every day it was, it looks good, it looks good, he looks better, he is responding," said Taylor.

Day by day, the heartbeat that was barely beating grew stronger.

"Here he is. Perfectly healthy," said Mike. "Besides needing oxygen and a few breathing treatments, I see a 6-foot, 5-inch, 220 lb. running back."

"I don't care if he will be the smallest kid everywhere he goes, or if he has lung problems or whatever it may be, I know that he's here for a reason," said Taylor. "I know that God allowed him to thrive and defied all those odds for a reason. As his parent, I cannot wait to see what that reason is."

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