Onetime 'miracle baby' who survived multiple surgeries gives birth, 30 years later, at same Mineola hospital

In October 1994, Stephanie Sicurella was born at Winthrop Hospital without a fully formed esophagus and other internal abnormalities that would ultimately require multiple surgeries.

As the infant was placed in the neonatal intensive care unit, her mother, Linda Sicurella, asked pediatric surgeon Dr. Charles Coren if her daughter would ever be able to have children.

"He said, 'Let's not worry about that now,' " Sicurella recalled. " 'We’ll cross that path when we come to it.' "

More than 30 years later at the same hospital, now known as NYU Langone in Mineola, those paths crossed again — this time following the birth of another baby.

Stephanie Sicurella, once considered a "miracle baby" because she survived so many physical hardships, gave birth to her first child, Dominic Francis Bruno, on Monday.

"And here we are," Linda Sicurella said at a hospital news conference with Coren in the room.

The new grandmother recalled that she was 20 weeks pregnant when she learned of her daughter’s health issues at what she thought would be a "normal" sonogram.

Linda and her husband, Guy Sicurella, already had two healthy young boys, so the news was a shock, they said.

"They couldn't locate the stomach," Linda Sicurella said. "I'm like, 'What do you mean?' "

Stephanie Sicurella was diagnosed with esophageal atresia, meaning she did not have a pathway from her mouth to her stomach, which prevented her from digesting food and fluids normally, Coren said.

"There were parts of it, but insufficient to make a passageway," Coren said.

Linda Sicurella said she and her husband had also been told their daughter might have other physical defects like missing fingers and toes. When she was born, her mother said she was "perfect on the outside, but things were just different on the inside."

Stephanie Sicurella spent five months in the intensive care unit and underwent multiple surgeries throughout her childhood.

Coren, who performed the surgeries to construct her esophagus, said she had to sleep upright as she was at risk for aspiration.

"I'm not the parent, but I almost feel like it because I've been with Stephanie at every step of the way," Coren said.

Due to her health issues and many hospital visits, the family hired a bedside nurse for 20 years who became an integral part of the Sicurella family and even attended her wedding.

Dominic is currently in the neonatal intensive care unit as he was born via C-section at 34 weeks. But he is a healthy baby, Coren said.

Stephanie Sicurella said she never thought becoming a mom was an impossible task. Despite her health issues, her parents never held her back from doing sports or achieving her goals.

"I wasn't brought up that way," she said. "So everything worked out the way it was supposed to."

Vincent Bruno, Dominic’s father, said seeing his wife become a mother showcases her unlimited strength.

"The passion, the drive that this woman has, is unmatched," Bruno said. "You can see the fight that she had when she was younger."

Stephanie Sicurella said that in addition to the support from her family and hospital staff, having Coren at this milestone made it an especially meaningful moment.

"Having him also in the room with my son — full life, full circle," Sicurella said. "It was amazing."