Meet Tiny Light Parker

Images Captured by Melissa Weicker Photography

Tiny Light Parker has been a fighter from before he was born.  He arrived eight weeks early and since then, he has spent more of his life in the hospital than at home.  

At one year of age, Parker has already had 16 surgeries. To date Parker has had 21 surgeries/procedures.

Doctors diagnosed Parker in utero with tracheoesophageal fistula, which means his esophagus was attached to his airway instead of his stomach.  He also has another condition which required a breathing tube for three months.  On top of all that, Parker has a hole in his heart, he’s missing a rib and has four vertebrae fused in his spine.  He can’t eat by mouth because of problems with the cartilage in the larynx that prevents food from going down the trachea. The hope is Parker will grow out of all this in another year or two, but there is a chance he may never eat by mouth and he could develop asthma.  

Along with his fighting spirit, this Tiny Light is definitely strong-willed.  He is a pro at pulling out his intubation tubes!  Parker’s parents call him a little miracle.  “No matter how sick he gets, he is always fighting to get better and never ceases to amaze the doctors with his progress.  He also never stops smiling.”

Written by Elaine Yong