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"One in a million" Maumee baby born premature fighting the odds

Lincoln Decker was born eight weeks early and was diagnosed with a rare form of down syndrome and several heart conditions.

ANN ARBOR, Mich. — The miracle of life has been a challenge for one Maumee family.

John and Melissa Decker welcomed their third child, Lincoln, into the world eight weeks early on July 30. With the early birth, doctors also found various heart issues.

The doctors called him a "one-in-a-million" baby.

"I can't imagine what they're going through, watching their baby infant who's barely three pounds go through all this," aunt Amanda Decker said.

The Decker's have two other healthy children, so they never expected any problems with this pregnancy. 

But around 20 weeks, they got some news.

"[The doctors] found out that there's like a 90-percent chance he would have down syndrome, which is why he was measuring short," Amanda said.

Doctors diagnosed Lincoln with translocation down syndrome, which is found in only 3-to-4 percent of down syndrome cases. 

As July approached, more problems appeared, and John and Melissa had to make a choice.

"I think at one point they lost his heart rate and they were able to get it back," Amanda said, "so then they finally just decided they had to take him eight weeks early, like he probably wasn't going to survive in utero, they had to take their chances."

After his birth, doctors also found several heart issues like a hole in his heart, pulmonary stenosis and tetralogy of fallot . Those in addition to the rare form of down syndrome led the doctor's to say this is a "one in a million" case.

"I think those were the doctors words. They said this is a one a million chance that this would happen," said Amanda.

Currently, doctors at Motts Children Hospital in Ann Arbor are trying to stabilize Lincoln so he can make it through surgery for his heart. 

With COVID-19, Melissa had to go to ultrasounds on her own. And since Lincoln was born, only John and Melissa are able to go visit.

"I think the first time when he FaceTimed us rather than a picture, I bawled my eyes out," Amanda said.

With bills piling up for expected surgeries and the long stay in the NICU, Amanda wanted to try to ease their financial burdens. She started a GoFundMe that has raised over $3,000 so far.

"My brother is one of the little league coaches," she said. "They do what they can for the families and communities around them and I think this is a time maybe some people can help them," said Amanda.

Ahh, where do I start? Lincoln was born at 2lbs 13 oz, about 8 weeks early due to complications. He had already proven to be a fighter by the time he took his first breath.

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