CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — For Larissa Gonzalez, her son being born premature at 32 weeks went from a challenge to her calling.
"He came two months early. So he was admitted here immediately from birth," said Gonzalez.
The stay at Driscoll Children's Hospital lasted about a month, and she had an outcome she never expected.
"It was an extremely hard time for us. But looking back it was one of the most rewarding. I would not change it for the world," said Gonzalez.
At the time in 2023, Larissa was an ICU nurse unfamiliar with the NICU territory.
"Every day I just had this tug on my heart. I had this change of heart. I just didn't want to be in the adult world anymore," said Gonzalez.
Gonzalez said the care and patience staff gave to her son and family was all it took to make the leap from adults to the tiny but mighty patients.
"I had a huge admiration for the nurses here, the doctors here, everybody I encountered. This entire world was just so different. And I could not wait to be a part of it," said Gonzalez.
Larissa became a NICU nurse six months later. For a full circle moment, she acknowledges the challenges.
"It's not always easy. It's not all rainbows holding babies. It's very very hard sometimes. It's hard on your heart, it's hard on your soul," said Gonzalez.
According to the CDC, from 2016 to 2023, NICU admission rates rose 13%.
For the past two years in the NICU, Larissa has been contributing to care for babies within that statistic. While she says it's a tall task, every time a family says thank you, it makes it all worth it.
"It means the world. Of course we never do anything for the recognition or the thanks. Our main goal is to get these babies home and get them home as quickly as we can, as safely as we can," said Gonzalez.
Gonzalez said every day is a mission to give other parents the same compassion her family received.
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