Miracle Baby Born 15 Weeks Early and Under a Pound Begins Kindergarten in Queen Creek

Now 5 years old, Kallie Bender is a happy, bubbly child who continues to defy the odds.

QUEEN CREEK, Ariz. — It’s back to school for thousands of students across the Valley. But for one East Valley family, back to school is more than a milestone, it’s more like a miracle.

At the Bender family home in Queen Creek, music and jamming out is Kallie Bender’s favorite thing.

“She is our little princess, and she runs the house,” Ebonie Bender, Kallie’s mother said.

For Kallie’s mom Ebonie, seeing her get to this point feels like a miracle. Kallie was born 15 weeks premature.

At the time of her birth, Kallie weighed less than a pound and was shorter than a Barbie doll.

“At the time, in 2019, this truly was one of the smallest babies we had seen at St. Joseph’s [hospital],” Andrea Hassler, Director of Women and Infant Services at St. Joseph’s Hospital said.

According to Dignity Health, Ebonie underwent an emergency C-section due to a condition called absent end diastolic flow which occurs when blood flow is reduced or reversed from the placenta to the unborn baby. Kallie spent 150 days at St. Joseph’s in Phoenix.

“She is a miracle child,” Hassler said.

Like the miracle Kallie is, she’s a fighter. Defying the odds and accomplishing big girl things, like starting kindergarten.

“We’re just excited to see her conquer this kindergarten year,” Bender said.

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