Orphans Gather on Older Lady’s Porch to Reward Her for Taking Care of Them as Babies – Story of the Day

A woman started working at a hospital and met an older midwife who everyone loved. One day, she discovered pictures of babies in the midwife's office and found something incredible. That's when she decided to go on social media and do something the old woman never expected.

"Hello, I'm Stacey. I can't wait to complete my first rotation in obstetrics," Stacey said cheerfully, introducing herself to some of the nurses at the OBGYN department of the hospital where she was doing her medical residency.

She was just an intern, but she knew obstetrics and possibly neo-natal surgery would be her specialty. Only time and experience would tell, and Stacey couldn't wait to see what her first few patients in the department were like.

For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels

She immediately had to follow a lead obstetrician into a C-section. The doctor's skills were insane as her hands flew to save the patient and her baby. However, Stacey couldn't help but notice someone else in the room.

An older nurse was initially supposed to handle the birth until things got more complicated, and the obstetrician had to be called.

"Who is that?" Stacey asked another nurse.

"Oh, that's Nurse Delaney. She's like 75 years old and also a midwife. Most patients here trust her over all the doctors. She had to convince that patient to get a C-section," the nurse answered. "Everyone around here respects her."

"That's why she was holding the patient's hand in the surgery alongside her husband," Stacey commented. "But why do people trust and respect her more than doctors?"

Before the nurse could answer, Stacey was called for another case, and she forgot about her question. The rest of the day was hectic with nine more births, but at least none were as complicated as the first one. She heard that Nurse Delaney delivered 15 other babies, which was pretty impressive for an older woman in one day.

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Stacey loved her rotation in obstetrics and witnessed how Nurse Delaney treated her patients. It was easy to understand why she made women in the most excruciating pain so comfortable. She was sweet but firm and serious but soft-spoken.

So, Stacey wanted to stay and help her out on her last day of the rotation. "Dr. Parish, please go to my office and get my bag. I forgot it, and I don't want to leave this patient alone," Nurse Delaney requested, and she nodded eagerly.

She rushed to the office and went inside, only to be mesmerized by the hundreds of photos on the walls. There were babies and new mothers with the brightest smiles in the world. However, a specific spot on the wall was favored with more colorful decorations. Those pictures only featured newborn babies. All of them had names at the bottom.

But Stacey focused on one in particular. It was a beautiful tiny newborn girl wrapped in a yellow blanket. The photo showed that it had a little banana embroidered in one corner, and her eyes bulged in surprise. Because she had the same blanket at home, and the name "Stacey" was at the bottom.

Stacey was orphaned when her mother died during delivery, and no one knew who her father was. However, she was quickly placed in foster care and adopted by the same family, who loved and supported her throughout her life. They were the reason why she got into med school, but she was interested in obstetrics because her birth mother had died from something that should be natural.

For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels

However, she had no idea why Nurse Delaney had her picture. Still, she grabbed the old woman's purse and rushed back. Turns out, she had some scented oils in that bag that the patient loved, and it eased her labor. The baby came quickly after that, and Stacey marveled at the miracle of birth.

Later, she approached Nurse Delaney on her way to her office and asked about the pictures in her office. "Why do you keep photos of babies and children?"

"Those are all the babies I have delivered or treated myself," Nurse Delaney said proudly.

"What about the spot with pink decorations and mostly newborns?" Stacey continued.

"Ah, well. Those are orphans. Some of them lost their mothers when they were born, and some were dropped off here. I make a point to ensure that they find a good foster home and get adopted. All those babies are now with their forever families," the older woman smiled, her face wrinkling adorably.

"There's one picture," Stacey began, clearing her throat. "I'm pretty sure it's me. It's the baby with the yellow blanket."

Nurse Delaney squinted her eyes at Stacey and grinned even wider. "The baby in the yellow blanket with a banana. That's Stacey. Your parents are Aaron and Cynthia, right?" Nurse Delaney.

Stacey's eyebrows went up. "Wow, you remember that?"

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"Of course I do. I told you. I make sure those babies find homes. Well, it's not exactly my job, but I still push for them to be adopted as quickly as possible," the older woman said, touching Stacey's cheeks. "I never met your parents, but your social worker told me everything."

The young doctor's eyes watered. "Can you tell me more about my birth mother and the other babies?" she asked, her voice choked.

"Sure! Come with me," Nurse Delaney said, and they went to her office.

The old midwife told Stacey about her life and experience with birthing mothers, newborns, and adoptions. But Stacey wondered most about the orphans in particular. Nurse Delaney was only too pleased to tell her everything she remembered about each of them.

The doctor left the hospital late that night, and despite the tiring day, she couldn't sleep. So, she finally grabbed her laptop, pulled up Facebook, and searched some of the names she remembered. She left messages to people asking if they knew about Nurse Delaney and how she had helped them.

Amazingly, some responded and recounted more stories about Nurse Delaney. One of the orphans told her that the old midwife had been at the birth of her child, which made the moment so special.

Stacey started a Facebook group where people told stories about Nurse Delaney, although it was mostly what their parents had told them. However, other people joined too, such as mothers who said they only delivered safely because of the old midwife.

Meanwhile, Stacey would visit Nurse Delaney as much as possible, even when she was on other rotations, and she would tell her about the group and what her former baby patients were doing now. The old woman was delighted with those stories.

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"It's amazing how all these people can gather in one place and tell these things. I guess I should get one of these advanced phones," Nurse Delaney laughed with Stacey at some point.

Years passed, and the old woman was the person Stacey trusted the most at work. She was her confidant, mentor, and family at the hospital. Thanks to her, the doctor was sure of her path in the medical field. So, when Nurse Delaney finally decided to retire at 80, Stacey planned a big surprise for her.

***

The OBGYN department at the hospital held a big retirement party for the old nurse, but Stacey had not attended. Instead, she went to Nurse Delaney's house and waited for other guests to arrive.

Finally, someone told her the older woman had gotten in her car, and she gathered everyone on Nurse Delaney's porch to welcomed her.

"SURPRISE!" they all yelled at the midwife parked on the driveway. She got out of the car wide-eyed as tens of people approached to hug and greet her.

"Stacey, what is this?" she asked, delighted but confused.

"This is our thanks, Nurse Delaney. These are all the orphans you helped—every single one from your special wall. I spent years trying to find everyone, and when I told them you were retiring, we decided to plan this," the doctor revealed.

For illustration purposes only | Source: Unsplash

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The old woman smiled even brighter and touched Stacey's face again. "Well, honey. Thank you. And I think it's time you start calling me Miriam," she began cheekily. "Now, let's go inside and have this party, huh?"

Everyone cheered, and they went into the older woman's house. Surprisingly, she named each of the kids there. She might've been 80, but her memory was unparalleled. At the end of the party, they handed her an envelope, which Miriam opened excitedly. She saw a bunch of documents with her name and looked at her guests curiously. Stacey explained.

"We created a charity nonprofit in your honor, Miriam, to help other orphans who need homes. You might not be working anymore, but someone has to do it, and we plan to carry on your tradition for as long as we can," she elaborated, which made the older woman's eyes finally water.

What can we learn from this story?

• When you do good for others, you get rewarded somehow. Nurse Delaney did her best so orphan kids found families, and in the end, they all wanted to thank her.
• There's nothing like finding a person that inspires you at work. Stacey was grateful to Nurse Delaney for helping her when she was orphaned and being her mentor at the hospital, as she only solidified her stance to become an OBGYN doctor.

Share this story with your friends. It might brighten their day and inspire them.

If you enjoyed this story, you might like this one about a little girl who visited old ladies at the nursing home and met the granny she didn't know she had.

This piece is inspired by stories from the everyday lives of our readers and written by a professional writer. Any resemblance to actual names or locations is purely coincidental. All images are for illustration purposes only. Share your story with us; maybe it will change someone's life. If you would like to share your story, please send it to info@amomama.com.