One formerly conjoined twin has waved goodbye to the staff at the Wolfson Children's Hospital in Jacksonville, Florida after more than a year of remaining in hospital treatment.
The little boy's family welcomed baby Conner home on Thursday, but his other twin, Carter, will still be treated at the hospital, said Michelle Brantley, the twins' mother.
Conner and Carter were born conjoined in December 2014 when their abdomen was linked together. The two infants had shared bonded livers and one small intestine, so they had to undergo multiple surgeries to survive, including a 12-hour surgery to separate them in May.
Conner got to spend his first full day at home with his parents on Thursday. Bryan Mirabal, Conner and Carter's father, said on Wednesday that he was eager to finally spend some time with his son away from the hospital.
"It's teaching time," said Mirabal, adding that he's excited to teach his son about dogs and cars. "That's the fun part, getting to be a dad."
Conner had spent his entire life at the hospital. At least 200 health care professionals – from surgeons to pediatric nurses – have worked with Conner and Carter, according to the hospital's Nemours Children's Specialty Care.
The 13-month-old Conner also had to say goodbye to his twin brother Carter for the first time. Brantley said the twins got to play a bit before they took Conner home.
When it was time to go, Brantley said Carter started crying.
"Conner was smiling at him and they were grabbing each other's hands. I don't think they quite understand that they're brothers yet, but they'll get there," added Brantley.
Dr. Daniel Robie, a pediatric surgeon at the Wolfson Children's Hospital and a surgeon at Nemours Children's Specialty Care, said he and his staff are going to miss Conner after getting used to seeing the little boy every day for a year.
"It's going to be difficult for us to give him up but he's going to where he needs to be with his mother and father," said Robie.
Video released by the hospital showed Conner in his car seat waving goodbye to the staff, as if indicating that he knew he was saying goodbye to them. His parents were prepared to take him home.
