Although her pregnancy was normal, Finn’s mother, Erin Hickey, started feeling uneasy about the delivery and wanted to have a C-section. She talked to five OBs. One actually called her crazy. But those instincts saved Finn’s life.

Finn had a very rare condition called Neonatal Alloimmune Thrombocytopenia (NAIT). His platelet count was 5,000 when it should have been between 150,000 to 400,000 – which means Finn was at an extremely high risk of bleeding in his body. This platelet incompatibility only occurs in one in 800 live births and can result in death or long-term complications. The C-section actually kept the pressure off of Finn’s head and allowed him to survive, but he wasn’t out of the woods yet. 

At only a few hours old, Finn had to take his first flight. Thankfully due to the quick thinking of Finn’s pediatrician and the critical care support provided by the flight crew, Finn was immediately transported by Air Methods to Kosair Children’s Hospital via fixed wing. And although his dad Sean Hickey was an emergency room nurse, it was one of the scariest days of his life. 

For five weeks, Finn received platelets from his mom, although doctors were still worried about deficits due to the bleeding in his brain. But they didn’t have to be: today Finn is a healthy boy and a great older brother. In fact, after such a positive experience, his dad Sean is now a flight nurse for Air Methods, helping to save other lives.