Newborn Returned To Stamford Family After Coronavirus Recovery

STAMFORD, CT — A newborn baby who has been in the care of his brother's elementary school teacher for over a month has been reunited with his family. Baby Neysel, who was born in early April in Stamford, has been apart from his parents and 7-year-old brother since all three family members tested positive for the coronavirus last month.

In light of this, the family asked Luciana Lira, an English as a second language teacher at Hart Magnet Elementary School, to take care of Neysel while they recovered from the virus.

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About six weeks after taking the newborn in, Lira said on Facebook over the weekend that Neysel had been reunited with his parents.

"It is with a happy heart that I have the honor to announce that baby Neysel is finally home with his family," Lira said Saturday on Facebook. "It was an emotional and unforgettable day for all of us!"

See also: Teacher Cares For Newborn While Parents Recover From Coronavirus

Back in April, Lira's friend, Joy Colon, said in a Facebook post the teacher had received a call from Neysel's mother as she was going into labor. She also told Lira she had tested positive for the new coronavirus.

According to a GoFundMe page set up for the family, the mother was eight months pregnant when she tested positive for the virus, also referred to as COVID-19. After an emergency C-section, baby Neysel was born five weeks premature and his mom was put on a ventilator.

On April 8, Lira was asked by the family to take Neysel home with her. Not long after, both the baby's father and 7-year-old brother, the latter of which was a student of Lira's, also tested for positive for the virus.

"[Lira] had only known this family since the beginning of the school year," Colon's Facebook post reads. "They were virtually strangers to one another, and yet my friend did what truly good people do; she said yes."

According to the Stamford Advocate, the mother spent nearly three weeks in a coma battling the virus before taking a turn for the better in late April. She was later discharged from the hospital and returned home to continue her recovery.

Neysel was ultimately permitted to return home by Stamford health officials after all three family members tested negative for the disease twice, the Stamford Advocate reports.

"I want to thank my students and their parents for trusting me," Lira said on Facebook, "and giving me the opportunity to not only be their teacher, but also their advocate and guiding light."

The GoFundMe was organized to help the family with healthcare and living expenses as they continue their their "long road to recovery." As of Wednesday afternoon, the page has raised over $52,000, exceeding the campaign's $50,000 goal. Those who wish to donate to the campaign can do so here.