Over the past few weeks, J.R. Smith, Cleveland Cavaliers marksman, and his wife, Jewel Harris, have been dealing with the premature birth of their daughter, Dakota.
Dakota was born in January at 21 weeks old and weighed just one pound, She has been fighting for her life in the neonatal unit ever since.
There is good news to report about little Dakota’s condition, however. Yesterday, the child was extubated for the first time — a process that removes previously inserted tubes from the body (such as tracheal or feeding tubes). Dakota did remarkably well throughout the procedure, lasting three hours without her tubes. Harris posted a photo to her Instagram account, stating that doctors will try the process again in about a week.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BQ079D6BUy1/?taken-by=_mykotabear
Just two weeks ago, “Swish,” as Smith is affectionately known, got to hold his youngest daughter for the first time. “It was one of the greatest days of my life,” Smith said of his first contact with Dakota.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BQLmZXdB49Y/?taken-by=_mykotabear
While these are all great signs, we should still keep the Smith family in our thoughts and prayers as the process plays itself out.