It’s been a difficult year for the Jurnakins family. Sparkle gave birth to Kendall on Dec. 11, 2020, just 25 weeks into her pregnancy. According to Good Morning America, the 41-year-old mom of three had to get an emergency C-section because she had high blood pressure, which was complicated by her diabetes and only having one kidney.

Baby Kendall was only 15 ounces when he was born. Doctors said at the time that he had about a 50% chance of surviving.

“When he was born at 25 weeks and based on his weight, national data and international [data], his chance to survive was around like 50 to 60% … this is only survival, not survival with complication or long-term problems, but he actually beat some odds,” Dr. Taha Ben Saad, a neonatologist and Kendall’s physician, told Good Morning America.

Kendall experienced several complications during the first months of his life. ABC News reports that he had respiratory distress syndrome and chronic lung disease, and he struggled to eat, too.

Sparkle told GMA that she was terrified Kendall “wasn’t gonna make it.” When the state of his health was more precarious, she visited him every day.

“I was going to visit him every day. He was really sick in the beginning,” Sparkle recalled. “We couldn’t figure out why he couldn’t get his lungs together. So we had to, they told me that his lungs wasn’t really fully developed like they should. They was gonna have to trach it. So we ended up having to have that big surgery, a trach put in for him to be healthy.”

The now 15-month-old was given a tracheostomy and was put on a ventilator. Later, a gastrostomy tube was administered as well, to help Kendall eat.

As if the ordeal couldn’t be more harrowing for the Jurnakins family, Sparkle found herself with her own health issues. She tested positive for COVID-19, and checked into the same hospital as her youngest child.

“I remember going into the hospital saying I couldn’t breathe,” Sparkle recalled. “That was the only thing I remember.” Sparkle was also put on a ventilator and got a tracheostomy. She was in the ICU for two months.

“It was very emotional when his mom got sick in the hospital,” Ben Saad said, ABC News reports. “We thought she’s not gonna survive and then all his nurses were really worried.”

Sparkle recovered and was able to see Kendall in December.

“I thought he was not gonna remember me because he was so tiny when I went in the hospital,” Sparkle told GMA. “Soon as I got there, he just laid on me and looked at me the whole time. It was the best feeling in the world.”

While the parents are thankful to the St. Vincent staff for saving both Sparkle and Kendall’s life, the Jurnakinses are ready to start the next chapter of their lives at home.

Sparkle was euphoric when she heard they would be able to take their baby boy home for the first time.

“I couldn’t believe it. I was just like, ‘Oh, my baby really made it. Oh, we’re coming home. Oh, Lord. Thank you,” she said. “I prayed. I cried. I was happy. I was sad. I was everything, but I was ready for my baby to come home.”