Almost 18 years ago, Zach Cicero was a patient at St. Joseph Hospital in Chicago -- as an infant in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.
After three-and-a-half months, he finally went home with his family and has gone on to live a full and healthy life. He's about to graduate high school and is working toward becoming an Eagle Scout.
But, he hasn't forgotten how the doctors, nurses and support staff at St. Joseph Hospital saved his life -- and showed his appreciation by building four new rocking chairs and donating them to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.
He was inspired to build and donate the rocking chairs by his mother, who told him stories of sitting in similar chairs at the hospital, talking to him, reading to him and playing music for him while he was undergoing treatment.
And, hearing that Zach was making a visit, the staff threw an early 18th birthday party for him, complete with cake. While he doesn't remember being at the hospital, a number of the staff members at the party certainly did.