The 12-Year-Old Sister Blew on the Dying Baby's Belly, Then the Unbelievable Happened

About a month ago, the story of Amy and Stephen Smith shook the entire American media. It all started two years ago, when the couple had a small and adorable baby named Poppy. "Even during the pregnancy, we realized something was not right," recalls Amy, the mother.

"The doctors examined the fetus and diagnosed a rare syndrome called Moebius, which was expected to paralyze the baby’s facial muscles when she was born, making it difficult for her to perform trivial actions like speaking and eating."

But the parents had no hesitation. "We decided we would bring her into the world anyway and take care of her like we do with our other children. We hoped that our dedicated care would eventually lead to her complete recovery."

Indeed, when Poppy reached the age of one year and three months, she had already begun taking her first steps. "My parents were over the moon, but it didn’t last long," says the sister Maisie, aged 12. "Even though Poppy was energetically walking around the house, she still couldn’t make any sounds, couldn’t laugh, or even smile. We were very sad. We all wanted to see it happen already."

After a few months, Poppy’s health deteriorated so much that at the age of two, her mother found her unconscious in bed and rushed her to the hospital. Poppy was admitted to the intensive care unit, and only then did the doctors discover the worst: due to fluid filling her lungs, oxygen wasn’t reaching her brain, and Poppy suffered severe brain damage, leaving the doctors with no option but to pronounce her impending death.

Just before the end – the sister blew on the baby's belly to amuse her

"We were devastated. We knew we had done everything possible to save Poppy, and didn’t know what else we could do for her," said the mother. "I brought the kids – Alicia, 14, Maisie, 12, and Alfie, 11 – to the hospital to stand by their little sister in her final hours and spend some quality time with her before it was all over."

Then, 12-year-old sister Maisie approached the sick infant’s bed and in a desperate attempt to breathe life into her little sister, blew air onto her belly, just as many parents do when they want to amuse the little ones. "My daughter had tears in her eyes, and at that moment, something happened that none of us can explain, including the doctors. Poppy started to laugh," said Stephen, the father. "We couldn’t believe our eyes. Our daughter laughed, for the first time in her life, just before the ‘end’ everyone expected."

In a short time, a transformation that the doctors could not explain took place – Poppy was completely out of danger, and began not only to laugh but also to make sounds and try to speak. "If we didn’t believe in miracles before, now we truly believe. And we have hope that thanks to her daily struggle, Poppy will still get to be a normal child, walk, talk, and grow like all the children her age."