A toddler born at just 21 weeks’ gestation has officially been recognised by Guinness World Records as the most premature baby to survive, after recently celebrating his first birthday.
Nash Keen, born on 5 July 2024 at the University of Iowa Stead Family Children’s Hospital, arrived 133 days before his due date, making his survival an extraordinary feat in modern neonatal medicine. Weighing just 10 ounces (approximately 283 grams), about the size of a bar of soap, Nash spent six months in the hospital’s neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) under constant medical supervision.
His mother, Mollie Keen, described her son as “very determined, curious … and he’s just all smiles all the time.”
His father, Randall Keen, echoed the sentiment in an interview published by Guinness on Wednesday: “Nash is going to be able to say, ‘You know what? I came into this world fighting, and I’m going to leave fighting.’”
Nash’s journey to the record books came two years after tragedy struck the Keen family, when their daughter, McKinley, was born prematurely at nearly 18 weeks and did not survive. Understandably, the couple were cautious during Mollie’s pregnancy with Nash.
“We were so excited, but also very nervous,” Mollie said. “We didn’t get our hopes up.”
Despite the extremely premature birth, Nash defied the odds. Dr Amy Stanford, a neonatologist who cared for him in the NICU, detailed the fragile beginnings and his remarkable progress.
“He underwent highly specialised care, constant surveillance and frequent monitoring,” Dr Stanford told Guinness. “But after those first few extremely delicate weeks, he began to make steady progress, which was truly extraordinary to witness.”
Nash’s story is part of a broader trend, illustrating how advancements in neonatal care are enabling more extremely premature babies to survive and thrive.
Now just over a year old, Nash remains on oxygen support and relies on a feeding tube, though his parents have begun preparing to introduce puréed foods. His doctors are optimistic that a minor heart defect will correct itself with time. While he has not yet started crawling, he has begun rolling over and expressing a vibrant personality.
“Whenever you call him ‘Nash potato’, or you cheer him on when he’s trying to pull himself up … he just hams it up,” said Randall. “It makes him want to succeed and do more.”
A small gathering of close friends and family marked Nash’s first birthday with gifts including educational toys, outfits, and of course, the official Guinness World Record certificate. Nash edged out the previous record holder, born in Alabama in 2020, by just one day.
For Mollie and Randall, Nash’s survival has brought profound joy.
“I love waking up to him,” Mollie said. “He’s truly the best thing that could have happened to us.”
