From Saved Baby to Lifesaving Doctor: A Remarkable Reunion

The story begins over 38 years ago, when Michael Gardiner, a father of two, lived near the Kresso family in the Romema neighborhood of Haifa. One day, Vera Kresso, the mother, found out she was expecting a baby. Just before finding out, she had two X-rays and became worried. At that time, many believed X-rays during pregnancy were very dangerous, so she considered ending the pregnancy.

When Vera shared her fears with her neighbor, Michael’s wife, she advised Vera to speak with Michael, who was a physicist. Michael’s work gave him the tools to carefully research the risks of radiation exposure from X-rays during pregnancy.

“The neighbor told me, ‘I made a mistake and had an X-ray while pregnant,’” Michael recalled with deep emotion in a conversation with ‘Yedioth Ahronoth.’ “Forty years ago, it was thought very dangerous. I studied the medical research and concluded that an abortion was not necessary.”

Michael approached Vera and gently convinced her not to have an abortion. “I took on a heavy responsibility,” he said, “and honestly, I couldn’t sleep for several nights. But I couldn’t bear the thought of ending a life when it wasn’t really needed.”

Vera chose to continue her pregnancy, and her son Yariv Kresso was born. “If Michael hadn’t done all that research and shared it with me, I probably wouldn’t have taken the risk and would have terminated the pregnancy,” she said.

As time passed, the lives of the Gardiner and Kresso families took different paths. Yariv grew up, studied medicine, and today works as a physician at the Hematology Institute at Rambam Medical Center.

By Hashem’s wondrous ways—Hashgacha Pratis, divine providence—the doctor and the physicist’s paths crossed again after nearly 38 years. Michael came to the hospital for treatment of a blood disease, and the doctor who came to care for him in the emergency room was none other than Dr. Yariv Kresso.

“When he shook my hand, I asked for his last name,” Michael shared. “Afterward, my daughter said, ‘Dad, I think he’s the son of the Kresso family who were our neighbors on HaPrachim Street.’” Soon after, Michael and his daughter reached Vera by phone.

“I spoke with her, and she said, ‘Michael, that’s my son Yariv—the child you helped me not abort. He was born thanks to you.’”

A few hours later, Vera sent an emotional message to her son, Dr. Kresso, sharing the news.

“I knew my mother had an X-ray when she was pregnant with me, but I didn’t know that Michael was the one who convinced her not to have an abortion,” Dr. Kresso said. “My mother wrote, ‘Just so you know, it’s very much because of him that you were born.’ I’m full of admiration for the man who did all that research for my parents and essentially saved my life. Now, taking care of him and treating him feels like an incredible, extraordinary full circle.”