LANSING, Mich. — Patients in the newborn intensive care unit at Sparrow Hospital got a special visit from the Easter Bunny on Sunday.
The Easter bunny hopped from room to room visiting babies and their families for the holiday.
"Parents with babies in the hospital in general have to deal with a lot and especially around the holidays, it gets particularly tough," the Easter Bunny said. "So the opportunity to bring the Easter Bunny to them, as opposed to them having to go see me elsewhere is always a good idea."
The Easter Bunny took pictures with families who aren't able to take their babies elsewhere to visit the Easter Bunny and handed out books and other treats. Robin Trumble a nurse at Sparrow Hospital said it's nice to bring a little happiness to families who need it.
"It's definitely hard when the special holidays and family events that should be exciting and fun for these families with a new born baby can't happen when they're in the hospital," Trumble said. "I think all of our families have been able to get a book from the Easter Bunny, get their picture taken and it's been really cute to see some of the outfits parents have brought in for their babies too. So, trying to give them a bit of that fun, family occasion they would be having if their babies were home with them."
The Easter Bunny, who asked to only go by his Easter name, said he wanted to spread a little cheer to families during a stressful time because it's one he's all too families with. Three weeks ago, his son Theo was born at 33 weeks weigh only about three pounds and is currently being looked after by staff in the NICU at Sparrow.
“Theo decided to show up early in a true Aries fashion and when he did, you know, it was a surprise to me and his mother both," the Easter Bunny said. "So we had to jump through a lot of hoops, we arranged a lot of things to be able to be with Him and to be able to spend some time with him. So it was definitely challenging. But, you know, seeing that there are so many parents here, who are going through so much more and have been here for three months, four months, five months, you know, recognizing that and realizing that there's a chance to go out and see these kids and, you know, hopefully bring a smile on everybody's face.”
The Bunny said he and his wife have been taking it one day at a time having their son in the NICU.
"Women are so much stronger than men," the Easter Bunny said. "She's handled it so, so bravely and so valiantly and where I'm typically a cool headed fella, she, she had to call me down at first and really remind me that the six inches of real estate between the ears, keeping that sharp is super important. But it's been rough on her and it's been rough on me, but we know we're communicating well, and we're, we're getting through it."
His advice to parents who may be going through something similar is to just take it one day at a time and communicate with each other and he wanted to start creating memories for these families in the hospital.
"Some of the little joys of being a new parent kind of get taken away from you especially the things that seem so usual, you know, first Easter's, first Christmases," the Easter Bunny said. "This is a new experience, for me having a baby in the NICU and recognizing that and seeing, you know, firsthand what that struggle is you, you just want to do something to help. So hopefully, you know, if nothing else, the parents have a little, a little smile and a little memory that, you know, they'll still get to share with their kids a chance to still see the Easter Bunny."
The Easter Bunny said he's enjoyed it so much he hopes to do it again next year.
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