Thirty-year-old Jessica Hamm always wanted to be a mom, and because she works as a pediatric nurse, she often encountered children who she joked with her coworkers about wanting to adopt. But with 14-month-old Delilah, it was no joke.
Almost exactly a year ago, the tiny infant was admitted into the pediatric intensive care unit at Wolfson Children’s Hospital in Jacksonville, Florida. Weighing just 11 pounds and with numerous injuries, including broken bones and a skull fracture, Jessica didn’t know if the tiny girl would pull through.
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“She wasn’t eating. She wasn’t really responsive. I mean, she would smile a little bit. She would hold your hand, but she was so weak,”Jessica recalls.
Still, from the first moment she laid eyes on the baby girl, her heart was filled with love. That day, she met with officials from the Florida Department of Children and Families to discuss the possibility of adopting Delilah.
It was during that meeting that Jessica discovered Delilah wasn’t alone…
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She had a twin sister, Caroline.
Refusing to separate the girls, the kindhearted nurse became a foster mom to the two little girls, whose lives have infinitely improved over the last year under the love and guidance of not only Jessica but their surrogate family at the hospital.
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As soon as the staff heard that Jessica really was bringing these little ones home with her, they collected all the baby trappings she’d need as a first-time mom.
Delilah and Caroline are considered family at the hospital, but they’re officially Jessica’s family as of October when the adoption finally went through. The family plans to celebrate later this month with a trip to Walt Disney World in Orlando.
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Meanwhile, the twins have adjusted well to their new lives. Caroline’s personality has emerged as a social butterfly with a desire to help others, Jessica says. Delilah, who she describes as exceptionally affectionate and flirtatious, is now walking, talking, and eating.
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“They’ve been through so much and they’re completely different kids,”Jessica says. “If you had met them when I met them you would be amazed. I hope that people hearing my story opens them up to adopting.â€
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