Wilder Strong

The year 2020 seems to keep throwing bombshells, but for one Starkville family it started before the Coronavirus pandemic when they learned their then unborn son, might not survive.

The year 2020 seems to keep throwing bombshells.

For one starkville family it started before the coronavirus pandemic when they learned their then unborn son, might not survive.

Fast forward to june 2020..wilder williamson arrives and today continues to get stronger.

Wcbi's scott martin shares how the williamson family and a group of friends and strangers are staying wilder strong.

Little wilder williamson was born with a mass on his right lung.

Doctors first made the scary discovery back in january, six months before his due date// after a few visits with different doctors, blake and charlee williamson were told news no parent wants to hear.

"it was really grim.

They were like there's a good chance this baby won't make it to term or that it could be a stillborn.

The mass had started out so big they were afraid of cardiac arrest."

The mass was keeping his other lung from developing.

The williamson's were referred to a hospital in houston, texas.

By the time charlee was 32 weeks along, houston would become their temporary home.

"their major concern was he was not going to survive if he was born in mississippi.

Like at umc.

They didn't have the technology or surgeons to be able to perform the surgery he would probably need at birth."

Wilder was born at 39 weeks.

Immediately after birth he was put on a heart lung bypass machine.

He also underwent surgery where doctors removed the lower and middle lobes of his right lung.

Wilder was five weeks old the first time he was held by his mom and dad.

"we didn't see his eyes open for almost a month.

It was like the first week of july.

It was another miracle just to see your childs eyes open for the first time."

After 63 days on a ventilator, doctors were finally able to remove it giving the williamson's another glimpse of hope.

Though the road to recovery is still long, one thing wilder has proven so far, is he's a fighter.

"he's a living, breathing, testimony of the power hope, the will to survive, and the power of prayer."

Charlee says so many people were asking for updates so she gives daily updates on facebook.

They're still in texas and will be for several weeks to come.

Coming up tomorrow the williamson's share what the journey has been like during the middle of a global pandemic and how their hometown has been their rock//