ICU Grandpa Comforts Babies Who Have to Stay Alone

David Deutchman, best known as “ICU Grandpa”, has the best job ever! He visits the Children’s Hospital two times a week to volunteer as a “baby buddy”. His special job is to hold and comfort the babies who need to stay in the NICU (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit). It is the sweetest thing!

David has been volunteering at the children’s hospital for more than twelve years after retiring from a career in International Business Marketing. Upon retiring, David wanted to do something meaningful with his free time. He went to the hospital to seek out opportunities and nothing peaked his interest at first.

“I decided to walk in there, just wondering if they had volunteer opportunities,” David told CNN.

He realized where he wanted to volunteer once he walked past the NICU. It moved him to see a mother crying because she had to leave her baby there. It so sad because, depending on the babies’ health, they may have to stay for weeks or months at a time. Their moms often have to return back to work or go home to take care of their other children. NICU Moms are so concerned about their babies being left at the hospital for long hours without any attention and affection while they recover and get better.

“A lot of the parents have other children at home or they live farther away and it’s tough for them to get in here, so they particularly appreciate if someone can hold their baby and give them a little loving. That’s where I come in,” he says to Inside Edition

David being there to provide their babies with extra love brings comfort to moms. He sings to the babies, feeds them, and rocks them to sleep. One mom caught him holding her baby who was born at twenty-five weeks. She was so appreciative that she just had to get a picture. The Children’s Hospital shared the picture in a post on their Facebook. The post went viral and many were encouraged by the ‘ICU Grandpa’!