A year-old boy from Virginia was given a very special gift this week: the ability to hear his mother’s voice.
Maison McMillian, of Richmond, sat on his mother Lauryn Webb’s lap as he was fitted for hearing aids at VCU Children’s Hospital.
“Hi! Can you hear me? Hi baby,” Webb said to Maison in a moment caught on video. Maison’s face immediately lit up with a smile and he cooed back to his mother.
Webb took to Twitter to share the heartwarming moment. The video has since gone viral with 4.3 million views.
Maison, who weight only a pound when he was born four months premature, has had to overcome a lot in the past year, said Webb. Maison spent 158 days in the neonatal intensive care unit after his family and doctors began to realize he could not hear them.
“Maison you are nothing short of a miracle. A year ago, when I had you, I was scared you came out so small -- not even two pounds. Maison Martin you are the strongest, bravest person I know and I thank God everyday for choosing me to be your mommy,” Webb said in an Instagram post for Maison’s first birthday.
“I love you beyond words Maison. Here’s to the first year of our journey being complete, but the first day of our next journey,” she added.
The family is now happily home and smiling together. Webb told “World News Tonight” that the family was glad the video was able to bring joy to so many people.
“Maison is so thrilled to be able to hear everything now,” she said. “He just can’t take his eyes off of whoever is speaking. We’re just so glad that everybody else can gain some happiness from the video just like we did, and brighten up some people’s days during quarantine.”
