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Marine Dad Arrives To See Premature Newborn

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Oct 30, 2009 7:12 pm US/Eastern

Marine Dad Arrives To See Premature Newborn

Reporting
Jennifer McLogan
LINDENHURST, N.Y. (CBS) ― A Long Island Marine initially denied emergency leave to see his premature baby girl fighting for her life got to meet her for the first time on Friday. CBS 2 was there to witness the happy homecoming.

Fighting overwhelming emotion, the new Marine dad, Lance Corporal Keith Wagenhauser tried to display stoic calm, but inside he said he was a bundle of nerves.

"She looks beautiful. She's mine," he told CBS 2.

The marine, who'd just been granted overseas emergency leave when his command reversed itself, admitted he was trembling after being reunited with his wife Cristal and finally meeting his fragile preemie daughter, Madison Rose, born by emergency caesarean section 10 weeks too soon. Doctors said she was in grave condition, weighing just 2-pounds 11-ounces.

"Excited to see her. It was an overwhelming feeling, and I'm just glad I'm home to be here for her," Wagenhauser said.

Stationed aboard a ship with troops supporting U.S. forces in Iraq and Afghanistan included Wagenhauser's platoon, of which half the Marines' wives had given birth since deployment last May. None of those 16 was granted leave, and being there, instead of in the neo-natal intensive care unit with his struggling newborn was tough for Wagenhauser.

"It just broke my heart because I was so far away and I couldn't be there for Cristal or Madison," he said.

But with word of the Wagenhauser's plight, members of New York's congressional delegation appealed to the Red Cross and doctors there clarified the uncertain circumstances surrounding the health of Madison Rose, who remains on a feeding tube, connected to oxygen.

"It's so important to have the whole family united, to help care for their baby during this critical time and I only wish he could have been here earlier," said Dr. Joseph DeCristofaro of Stony Brook University Medical Center.

"It's definitely a lot easier now that he's home because we're both together and that he could actually be with her, if something does happen," said Cristal.

The Wagenhauser's said they were grateful to the Marines and the New York delegation for all their help to make this moment a reality.

"I'm excited, I'm proud that she's my own blood and it's really a good feeling to see her," he said.

Wagenhauser says his command has granted him a ten day stay, with the possibility of an extension, depending on his infant daughter's condition. Madison Rose has gained 5-ounces since her birth and is now up to 3-pounds, but still has a rough road ahead.


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