In a heartwarming story of compassion and unconditional love, a Massachusetts director of nursing became a mother to a little girl who had no visitors during her hospitalization. Liz Smith’s journey began when she started visiting an infant, Gisele, who was a patient at the hospital where she worked. This simple act of kindness blossomed into a life-changing decision when Smith volunteered to foster Gisele after the state gained custody of her in October 2016.
Gisele was born prematurely at 29 weeks gestation in July 2016 and diagnosed with neonatal absence syndrome due to her birth mother’s drug use during pregnancy. Born weighing less than two pounds, Gisele spent three months in the NICU on ventilator support before being transferred to Franciscan Children’s. She had also developed an oral aversion, making feeding a challenge. Tragically, Gisele had no visitors during her time at Franciscan Children’s, except for Liz Smith.
Smith, who was 45 years old at the time, had recently learned that she was not a good candidate for IVF. Feeling a deep connection with Gisele, and with the support of her family and friends, Smith decided to foster the then 9-month-old baby, hoping to provide her with a loving home and help her thrive outside the hospital environment. Initially, Gisele’s birth parents had supervised weekly visitations, but these visits soon became infrequent, shifting the goal from reunification to adoption.
“I remember certain nights, one in particular, when she was hooked up to the feed and I was walking by the mirror and the thought went into my head of losing her,” Smith explained, “I had to go there in my mind because it was still a reality, but it made me sick to my stomach. You can’t just love a certain percentage. You have to give it your all.”
The moment Smith received the call that the parents’ rights were terminated was bittersweet. “When I got the call that the parents’ rights were terminated, I imagined that it would be a day of relief,” Smith told the Franciscan Children’s blog. “And it was a day I was really sad. I was really happy. But I was really sad for them. I was gaining her but they were losing her. And to try to battle addiction and being a mom, that’s impossible.”
Two years after Gisele first came into state custody, Smith legally became her mother. The adoption was finalized on October 18, 2018. Smith recounted the judge’s words on that special day: “When a judge walks in the room, everyone stands out of respect. But today I stand in respect for you, Liz because you deserve the respect from this room. A birthing day is a miracle. But adopting a child from miles away is destiny. That’s what brought you two together.” It wasn’t until the judge actually read her name aloud as “Gisele Katherine Smith” and called her mom that she felt her dream of becoming a mom had come true.
Since being in Smith’s care, Gisele has thrived developmentally. While she still receives nutrition through a feeding tube, Smith has helped her begin eating solid foods like pizza and avocados.
“Since the moment I met her, there was something behind her striking blue eyes capturing my attention,” Smith told The Washington Post. “I felt that I needed to love this child and keep her safe.” This story is a testament to the power of compassion and the profound impact one person can have on a child’s life.