A premature baby spent five months in a Massachusetts hospital without a single visitor until the nurse who would become her mother walked into her life.

Liz Smith was 40 years old and had recently learned that having a baby through IVF would not be an option for her.

The Meeting That Changed Everything

In 2016, Smith crossed paths with Gisele, a 3-month-old who had been transferred to Franciscan Children's hospital in Brighton, Massachusetts.

Gisele was born at just 29 weeks, weighing 1 pound 14 ounces, and was diagnosed with Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome after her mother's drug addiction.

Smith, the Senior Director of Nursing, felt an instant connection when she locked eyes with the baby being wheeled past in a stroller.

Daily Visits Begin

Smith began visiting Gisele every day after work, making it her reward after long shifts while the baby suffered through medical complications and setbacks.

Gisele's birth parents initially came for supervised visits, but the visits gradually decreased and then stopped entirely.

That's when Smith's goal shifted from reunification to adoption.

Becoming a Family

Gisele went to live with Smith in April 2017, and the state terminated parental rights in June 2017 after determining the parents could not adequately care for her.

Smith and Gisele became officially mother and daughter on October 18, 2018.

Smith says motherhood exceeded every expectation, from discovering what makes Gisele giggle to the moments when her daughter notices she's sad and comes over to give her a hug.

533 days after their first encounter, a nurse who thought she'd never be a mother and a baby who had no visitors finally shared the same last name.