Meet the 82-year-old grandpa who cuddles sick babies
For the past 12 years, David Deutchman visits Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, Georgia, to hold and soothe babies in the neonatal intensive care unit.
Without fail the 82-year-old will drop by on Tuesdays and Thursdays every week to cuddle babies when their families cannot be by their side.
"It is very gratifying, not just because the babies are crying and you help them to stop crying," Deutchman told People. "There’s a lot of stress for these parents. Having somebody tell them they can go get breakfast and assure them I’ll be there with their baby, it means something to them. It’s important."
"There are a lot of benefits to that warm connection of being held - when a baby puts their face against your heartbeat, there’s a benefit there. I came to love it, but not just because of the connection with the babies, but the whole atmosphere of the hospital."
Dubbed the "ICU Grandpa" by the staff and parents, Deutchman laughs that he gets “puked” and “pooped” on a lot. But he wouldn’t have it any other way.
"If there’s anything I can do to make sure people are taken care of, that’s what I’m going to do," he said.