'We surprised our family with our baby after 170 days in ICU'
"To have my family see Eli and love on him in person versus seeing him through FaceTime and pictures made my day."
Family Life
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It's no secret that some babies have a harder start in life than others.
Baby Eli is the perfect example, having spent 170 days in the NICU after he was born at 23 weeks.
But the severely premature miracle baby went on to defy the odds, and he eventually got so strong that he was discharged from hospital on May 4.
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This gave his mum, Tyler Edmond, 31, from Tulsa, Oklahoma, the perfect opportunity to surprise her family with her husband, and they decided to let them know Eli was home in the best way possible.
In heartwarming footage filmed in Tulsa, Eli's family can be seen freaking out as they finally got to meet the youngster for the first time.
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"My family's reaction to meeting my baby made my day"
Tyler explained she and her husband drove from the hospital in North Carolina to Oklahoma, so Eli really was the last person their family members expected to turn up on their doorstep.
"We knew everyone would be surprised because we told them we couldn't make the drive due to Eli's doctors appointments," she said.
"But we ended up getting them rescheduled without them knowing.
"The entire experience made me feel extremely happy. To have my family see Eli and love on him in person versus seeing him through FaceTime and pictures made my day.
"Or next steps are to make sure Eli continues grow strong and healthy - and to make frequent visits to see our relatives and eventually expand our family."
RELATED: Premature baby born at 24 weeks and 4 days spends 127 days in hospital
"What a precious blessing"
Commenters on Tyler's TikTok said her family's reaction had them in tears.
"Everyday I'm crying over complete strangers on this app," one woman said. "Bless your family."
"Congratulations! From the pup watching over him to his family meeting him, he is surrounded by love," another person wrote.
"TikTok making me cry yet again," a third woman wrote. "Bless you mama, what a precious blessing."
One commenter praised Tyler's aunt for her reaction to the baby.
"I just love how she ran to hug the mum first," she said. "From an NICU parent, I appreciate that."
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Originally published as 'We surprised our family with our baby after 170 days in ICU'
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