The journey of growing a new life is often described as magical, but it is just as often filled with vulnerability and quiet fear—especially during a first pregnancy. For Hannah and Dominic Balassi of Imperial, Missouri, that journey began in the shadow of loss. In September 2023, their family was grieving the death of Dominic’s mother after a four-year battle with pancreatic neuroendocrine cancer. Just two days later, life offered them an unexpected glimmer of hope: Hannah discovered she was pregnant.

“The beginning of my pregnancy was perfect,” Hannah recalled. “We were heartbroken that Dominic’s mom wasn’t here to share it with us, but the baby became a light during a very dark time.”

Hannah attended all her prenatal appointments faithfully. Every scan, every checkup suggested a healthy pregnancy. At the 20-week anatomy scan, they learned they were expecting a baby boy, with a due date set for Mother’s Day—Sunday, May 12. As the holidays passed and January arrived, the couple began dreaming about their future with Baby Balassi. There was time, they believed. Time to choose a name. Time to pack a hospital bag. Time to prepare.

Then, on the night of January 28, everything changed.

At 25 weeks pregnant, Hannah began experiencing intense stomach cramps that kept her awake through the night. Like many expectant mothers, she searched for answers online, reassuring herself that it could be normal—growing pains, stretching ligaments, even constipation. She planned to call her OB in the morning.

Despite the pain, Hannah went to work at Target the next day, determined to complete her managerial duties. The drive was unbearable. The cramps came in waves, sometimes so severe she could barely sit. At work, she struggled to walk, to focus, to breathe through the pain. Her vision blurred. Still, she told herself she was overreacting.

Then, in the bathroom, her water broke.

Within minutes, coworkers rushed to her side. With calm courage and the guidance of a 9-1-1 operator, they did everything they could to help. At approximately 10:20 a.m. on January 29, 2024, in the first stall of a Target bathroom in Fenton, Missouri, Baby Dean Balassi entered the world—less than ten minutes after Hannah’s water broke.

He weighed just 1 pound, 8 ounces.

When first responders arrived, they stepped into a scene few ever encounter. Dean was struggling to breathe. Paramedics immediately began life-saving measures, working tirelessly to stabilize him. Hannah watched as her baby was clamped, cut free, and rushed into the hands of emergency professionals. In that moment, the surreal became real. This was not a dream. This was her son fighting for his life.

Dean needed warmth, and he needed his mother. Paramedics placed him on Hannah’s chest as they continued ventilating and performing chest compressions—never stopping, not for a second—throughout the ambulance ride to SSM Health St. Clare Hospital.

In the emergency department, more than two dozen medical professionals were waiting. Neonatologist Dr. Colleen Claassen arrived and immediately took charge. A specialist in neonatal resuscitation, she recognized the urgency of caring for a 25-week premature infant. Through skill, teamwork, and relentless focus, Dean was stabilized for transport to SSM Health Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital.

Because of heavy fog, the helicopter was delayed. Before Dean left, Hannah was asked to place a transport blanket inside her shirt so her scent could travel with him—one small comfort on a terrifying journey. Soon after, Dean was secured in a state-of-the-art neonatal transport incubator and safely transferred to the NICU.

Seeing their son for the first time in the NICU was overwhelming. He was intubated, surrounded by tubes and machines, impossibly small and fragile. “To see your child being kept alive by equipment is humbling,” Dominic said. “You learn very quickly how much trust is required.”

Dean faced enormous challenges: underdeveloped lungs leading to bronchopulmonary dysplasia, jaundice, a patent ductus arteriosus, brain bleeds, MRSA infection, spinal taps, and multiple blood transfusions. Progress was slow and uncertain. Steps forward were often followed by setbacks.

But Dean fought.

With the support of a dedicated medical team, therapists, and countless caregivers, he grew stronger. His brain bleeds resolved. His heart condition did not require surgery. Slowly, steadily, he overcame what once seemed impossible.

On May 14—just two days after his original due date—Hannah and Dominic carried their son out of the NICU and into the world.

Today, Dean’s story is a testament to resilience, teamwork, and the extraordinary power of hope. From a Target bathroom to a NICU filled with miracles, his beginning was anything but ordinary. And surrounded by love, skill, and unwavering determination, Baby Dean proved that even the smallest lives can fight the biggest battles.