Miracle baby Logan celebrates first birthday with NICU reunion at EIRMC

IIDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) — One year ago, Anna and Jacob Ames faced unimaginable uncertainty when their son, Logan, was born at just 22 weeks and one day of gestation. Today, Baby Logan Ames is celebrating his first birthday.

"It's kind of an end of a chapter. Just a nice milestone to capture that. He survived. He made a wonderful little celebration," his mother, Anna Ames, said.

Logan Ames was born on June 22, 2025, four months before his actual due date, weighing only 1.3 pounds. Due to his extreme prematurity, Logan spent 169 days in the Level III neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) at Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center before finally going home with his parents, Anna and Jacob Ames, on Dec. 8, 2025.

According to EIRMC, Logan is the youngest surviving NICU baby in the hospital's history.

"When baby's born at 22 weeks, the chance of survival, we usually don't give families their survival, meaning the baby lives. But that doesn't necessarily mean they have a good quality of life, that's around 30%. And then babies surviving with a good quality of life is usually about 12%. So it's pretty low for 22 weeks. That's why we call him the miracle baby," Dr. Jordan Simpson, a NICU physician and medical director at EIRMC, said.

For Logan's parents, the birthday celebration represents far more than cake and presents. It marks a year filled with uncertainty, hope and perseverance.

"Not to get too religious, but I would emphasize what a miracle he is," his father, Jacob Ames, said. "I want him to remember that he has a purpose here."

Logan's story continues to inspire the staff at EIRMC, many of whom still talk about the tiny patient who defied the odds.

"Whenever we talk about little babies, we're always bringing up Logan," Dr. Simpson said. "He was a miracle baby, and everybody still loves him."

His parents hope their son's journey can offer encouragement to other families currently facing long days and sleepless nights in the NICU.

"There's hope at the end of the road," Anna said. "It's hard, but it gets better."