Another great story

[Swans4ever]

With all our arguing and debating there has been one story to come out of RLWC which IMO really is worth mentioning - just a great story about a dad putting his family first - what a great person!

NRL hard man Jeremy Smith breaks silence on miracle baby, born 12 weeks premature
BARRY TOOHEY
The Daily Telegraph
November 29, 2013 11:59PM
League World Cup Final Preview: Australia v New Zealand 2:18
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Australia's five-year wait for redemption is almost here, as they take on current World Cup holders New Zealand in Sunday morning's final at Old Trafford.

MEET the precious little miracle baby that has melted the heart of one of rugby league's toughest players and is the reason he missed the World Cup in England.

Tiny Cali Smith, the daughter of Newcastle Knights and Kiwi enforcer Jeremy Smith, weighed just 790 grams when she was born more than 12 weeks premature in late September.

Barely the size of her dad's outstretched hand, Cali reduced Smith to tears when he laid eyes on her for the first time.

"I just couldn't believe someone that small could survive everything she'd been through and still be alive,'' Smith said. "She was hooked up to all these tubes to help her breathe but I was still able to hold her in the palm of my hand. I was pretty emotional.

"She's a real little fighter.

"There's been the odd setback since but she has come through it all and so far, so good. She is still in hospital but hopefully we'll have her home before Christmas.


"An early Christmas present for the family.''


Jeremy Smith with baby Cali.
After pulling out of the World Cup for "personal" reasons, Smith agreed to publicly share for the first time the amazing story behind little Cali's arrival in the world.

To fully appreciate what the Smiths have been through, we have to go back to early August when wife Jody was first admitted to hospital with labour pains.

Cali was just 20 weeks at the time with Smith in Sydney with the Knights preparing for a game against Cronulla when he got the phone call.

"We knew it was too early for the baby so you immediately fear the worst and the doctors told Jody she'd be lucky to hold out for any longer than three days without giving birth,'' Smith said.

"But she spent the next six weeks in hospital holding out. In the end, that's what saved Cali. That extra time was just enough."


Jeremy Smith with wife Jody and baby Cali.
With his wife in hospital during that period, Smith found himself juggling his "job" at the Knights and the task of looking after the couple's three other kids, Marly (eight), Evie (two) and JJ (one).

"I'd go to training in the mornings and leave a phone on the sideline in case something happened. The club was great. They were aware of what was going on.

"Thankfully, my mum Lyn came down to help out and ended up staying for two months. I couldn't have done it without her help."

It was on the morning of the Knights' semi-final in Melbourne against the Storm in late September that Jody finally went into full labour.

But she didn't let on to Smith what was going on because she wanted him to concentrate on the game. When little Cali eventually arrived just after 9pm that night, the Knights had all but wrapped up one of the biggest upset wins in the club's history.

But it wasn't until the players filed into the dressing room that Smith found out he was a dad for a fourth time.

"As soon as I came off the field, Wayne (Bennett, coach) told me there was a message on the phone to say Jody had had the baby," Smith said.

"It sort of soured the win for me a bit not knowing if she was going to be OK and whether the baby was going to survive.

"I wasn't real happy she didn't let me know what was going on but I spoke to her after that and had the doctor on the phone as well who said everything went well."

Smith was on the first flight home the next morning.

"Jody was unbelievable through the whole thing,'' he said. "She has been through so much and was so strong through it all. To do what she has done and to come home and get the family back on track and as normal as possible has been amazing.

"And the doctors and nurses at the John Hunter Hospital, we just can't thank them enough for everything they have done for us and are continuing to do."

As for missing the World Cup -and the final - Smith would have been an automatic selection for the Kiwis and is disappointed not to have been a part of it.

In the end, he didn't have to make the decision about whether to go. Kiwis coach Stephen Kearney made it for him.

"He just told me he didn't want me over there worrying about what was happening here if Cali had a slip-up or whatever,'' Smith said.

[NRLCrap1]

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