Diary of a champion
Two years ago, Simon Nelson of Hitterdal, Minn., captured the hearts of many. Today this active, healthy youngster shines as a Children's Miracle Network Champion. Excerpts from the media coverage tell his story.
Monday, Jan. 22, 2001 — Boy wanders out in subzero cold
It's a parent's worst nightmare. Janna and Brian Nelson woke at 5 this morning. Their 20-month-old son was not in his bed. They found him outside, freezing and barely breathing. He was brought to MeritCare Children's Hospital with a body temperature of 69 degrees. Simon tonight is in serious condition.
"My wife woke up at 5 this morning and she saw the front door was open," said Brian. "She came up and asked me if I knew why it was open. I said, 'Go look for Simon.' She looked all over the house. I got my coat on and ran outside. I could see him about 100 yards down in front of our shop, where he's got all his toys and stuff."
— WDAY TV 6
When the boy arrived at MeritCare Children's Hospital in Fargo at 5:56 a.m., he had no pulse and was unresponsive to stimuli. Roxanne Newman, a cardiothoracic surgeon was called in. Newman opened the boy's chest and hooked him up to a heart/lung machine. Though the boy remained unresponsive Monday evening, Newman said the prognosis looked promising. "Obviously his poor little arm is going to have some frostbite on it, that was pretty tender," Newman said, adding that "Everything looks as favorable as it possibly could."
— The Forum
Wednesday, Jan. 24
Pediatric critical care specialist at MeritCare Children's Hospital,
Dr. Waldemar Storm called Simon's condition "quite serious but stable." He said Simon's pneumonia worsened Tuesday night and early Wednesday. The condition of his lungs means the boy will have to stay on a respirator for a few more days. Simon will need occupational therapy to recover from frostbite suffered on his hands.
— Bemidji Pioneer
Thursday, Jan. 25
Just days after his father found his cold, seemingly lifeless body outside the family's Hitterdal, Minn. home, 20-month-old Simon Nelson is doing as well as can be expected, doctors say.
Especially encouraging is his very toddler-like reaction to sitting in bed. When the boy's sedation wears off, doctors say, Simon is doing what any 20-month-old confined to a bed would do. He's fidgeting, wiggling around.
— Minneapolis Star Tribune
Friday, Jan. 26 — Support makes a difference
Support from around the country is helping a 20-month-old battle
hypothermia,
frostbite and
pneumonia. "These prayer chains, they're working," Brian Nelson said. "We're in the woods, but I think we're on the right trail to get out."
— St. Paul Pioneer Press
Here in Simon's hometown of Hitterdal, it's hard to find a person who doesn't know the Nelsons. This community pulled together, setting up benefit dinners, fund drives and prayer chains. Heartwarming gestures prompted Simon's parents to issue this statement: "We want to continue to express our sincere appreciation for the outpouring of support for our family. Words cannot describe how thankful we are. Keep praying and give your kids an extra hug tonight."
— KVRR TV 15
Monday, Jan. 29
Dr. Waldemar Storm said that he is optimistic Simon will fully recover. "He has responded to coming off the (ventilator) and medication very nicely," Storm said. "He's talking, recognizing people, watching videos — all very good signs."
Simon's father, Brian, calls his son "a little miracle."
"We asked him to sing 'Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star' and he said, 'No, Daddy,'" Brian Nelson said. "That's when I knew he was going to be okay."
— Jamestown Sun
Thursday, Feb. 1
Except for a loose cough and a bandaged right hand, Simon Nelson is healing completely from the effects of several hours spent unconscious in subzero temperatures. The young patient moved from the Children's Hospital Pediatric Intensive Care unit to a room full of balloons and stuffed animals on the pediatric unit.
— The Forum
Friday, Feb. 2
Today Simon felt good enough to go in front of cameras. Simon's therapists say he's been working on a wide range of motion with his hands and arms. "He certainly is a trooper, that's for sure," said pediatric occupational therapist Susan Haasser.
— KXJB TV 4
Simon's parents got to hold him today. "Yesterday he was sitting up a little bit, playing more and more. It'll take a little while for him to get his strength back," said Brian.
— KVLY TV 11
Saturday, Feb. 3
A 20-month-old Minnesota boy who spent several hours unconscious in subzero weather has been released from intensive care and should return home within days. Doctors at MeritCare Children's Hospital said Friday they expect Simon Nelson to go home Monday, two weeks after he wandered from his northwestern Minnesota home in the middle of the night.
— St. Paul Pioneer Press
Monday, Feb. 5 — Little Simon goes home
Two weeks after he nearly froze to death, 20-month-old Simon Nelson walked from MeritCare Children's Hospital with gift-toting nurses and family members in his wake. One of his doctors said the boy is recovering "phenomenally well" from hypothermia, frostbite and pneumonia.
— Bismarck Tribune
For his parents, the two weeks Simon was in MeritCare's Children's Hospital held "some trying times, as well as some of the best times of our life," thanks to the support and prayers offered for the boy, Brian Nelson said.
Simon's surgeon, Roxanne Newman, called it an "absolute pleasure" to see his progress. "Everything looks so optimistic," Newman said. "It really makes you remember why you went into medicine."
— Grand Forks Herald
Simon's doctors called his rapid recovery nothing short of miraculous. "It's a good feeling to see Simon having such a good recovery," said Dr. Waldemar Storm, pediatric critical care specialist at MeritCare Children's Hospital.
Charley Chamberlain, a MeritCare LifeFlight nurse, assisted in the air ambulance that brought Simon to the hospital. "It's the whole team that helped do this," Chamberlain said. "To go from a lifeless child to one that's happy and smiling, it's heartwarming."
Brian said the family plans to return to a normal routine today, but may place gates inside the house to prevent Simon from leaving late at night. Then again, those gates might not be needed. "I think we're going to be snuggling pretty close to him tonight," Brian said.
— The Forum
Meet Simon on this year's Children's Miracle Network Celebration. Tune in to your local NBC station from noon — 10 p.m. on Saturday, May 31. For more information about Simon and to make your donation online, visit cmn.meritcare.com.
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