Parrakid

[Parrakid @jakuleau]

@Fair_and_Biased

[Parrakid @jakuleau]

As a mum of premmies this warms my heart ❤️

[Matt Van Swol @mattvanswol]

🚨WOW!!!

Every Tuesday and Thursday for EIGHT YEARS STRAIGHT, a 73-year-old grandfather has volunteered at a Virginia hospital NICU to hold babies fighting for their lives, some weighing under 2 POUNDS.

And before he lays each one down, he whispers the same blessing over every baby:

"Grow strong. Grow smart. Grow kind." ❤️

His name is Dave Whitlow. He's 73 years old.

He's not a doctor or a nurse. He's a retired government manager, a father of two, a grandfather of three... who decided his retirement belonged to the smallest, most fragile babies in Richmond VA.

Every visit, he holds five or six of them, babies smaller than a loaf of bread, whose parents can't be there every hour because they need to work.

So Dave is there and he's never once missed a day.

"It's the best gig I've ever had. It just feels right."

He doesn't just hold the babies, he says the job is holding up the exhausted parents and the worn-down nurses too. "It all kind of gets tied together, they need God's love too."

For 8 years, every single baby gets the same blessing before he lays them down:

"Grow strong. Grow smart. Grow kind."

Why those words?

"This is what I want from people in general."

He says that somewhere out there in the world are eight years of kids, currently walking, running, starting school, who will never know that when they were two pounds and fighting for every breath, he held them and spoke those words over their lives.

That brings him joy.

He calls that NICU a family he never expected and can't imagine leaving.

GOD BLESS Dave Whitlow.

Grow strong. Grow smart. Grow kind. 🇺🇸

[Parrakid @jakuleau]

This is beyond stupid 🤦‍♀️ As an Aussie I regularly use that phrase about certain players. I don't understand apologising for something that wasn't malicious. Doesn't that just feed the beast???

[AG @AGHamilton29]

She called Angel Reese a “protected species” after a bad foul call.

The WNBA is the most absurd sports league on the planet.

The games are unwatchable. They do nothing to protect or promote the one player bringing in fans. And they suspend coaches for an innocuous phrase.

[Parrakid @jakuleau]

@KristanHawkins No they even refused to consider screening Abby Johnson's movie too bc it was controversial and political!

[Parrakid @jakuleau]

@AlaskaBird__ @imelizabethlane Is that why Deborah's account disappeared? Reading her messages hurts my brain

[Parrakid @jakuleau]

@abbythelibb_ Congratulations. What a testimony to God's faithfulness. She's utterly gorgeous

[Parrakid @jakuleau]

@Fair_and_Biased This is really good. Well done

[Parrakid @jakuleau]

@abbythelibb_ 💯 spot on. So well said!!

[Parrakid @jakuleau]

@nosoup4knowles @abbythelibb_ Well said 👏

[Parrakid @jakuleau]

@abbythelibb_ @nosoup4knowles I feel for you. I had severe hyperemisis & nearly died (had 24wks of 32 hospitalised). Then had twins in NICU. I understand the anger as I experienced it too. I found many didn't understand as it's hard to put it into words. I'll keep praying for you. Trust God He understands 🙏

[Parrakid @jakuleau]

@abbythelibb_ @nosoup4knowles Praise God you've made it this far. Praying for you and baby girl 🙏

[Parrakid @jakuleau]

@abbythelibb_ Wonderful new. Praise God 🙏

[Parrakid @jakuleau]

@abbythelibb_ Praying 🙏

[Parrakid @jakuleau]

@abbythelibb_ Praying 🙏🏼

[Parrakid @jakuleau]

@abbythelibb_ @nosoup4knowles Almost dying carrying my twins made me even more prolife. To witness my miracles in the NICU and trusting God grew my faith too. I'd do it all again in a heartbeat.

[Parrakid @jakuleau]

@brady_penfield @nosoup4knowles I had twins and due to spinal injuries I was strongly encouraged to terminate one of my babies. They're now 22 and I cannot imagine missing out on one of them. I trusted God not the Drs. 🙏🏼

[TONY™ @TONYxTWO]

People with Down syndrome are some of the most beautiful humans on planet earth

So sad that some people cannot see this

[Parrakid @jakuleau]

@abbythelibb_ Thanks for sharing. I didn't know about it

[Parrakid @jakuleau]

@abbythelibb_ Great news. Praise God

[Parrakid @jakuleau]

@abbythelibb_ Praying for you and bub 🙏 Lean on the Lord he knows your needs and loves you both