David Deutchman has a special way of spreading love and joy. He has been holding babies and supporting moms at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta for 12 years.
David Deutchman says he has lost count of how many babies he has held—and he loves it.
For the past 12 years, Deutchman has been a regular visitor at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta. He goes there twice a week to hold and soothe babies in the neonatal intensive care unit. The staff and parents call him “ICU Grandpa” and appreciate his kindness. Even if he gets vomited on occasionally, the 82-year-old says the experience has been nothing short of rewarding.
“It is very satisfying, not just because the babies are crying and you help them to calm down,” Deutchman, from Atlanta, Georgia, shares. “There are a lot of benefits to that warm connection of being held—when a baby puts their face against your heartbeat, there’s a benefit there. I fell in love with it, not just because of the bond with the babies, but because of the whole atmosphere of the hospital.”
Deutchman retired from international business marketing about 15 years ago and tried to keep himself busy by giving lectures at local universities. But he felt he needed something more, so he walked into Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta and asked if they needed any volunteers. He started in the hospital’s pediatric intensive care unit, and after a year, he was invited to help in the NICU.
“That’s how it all started; I was holding little babies,” he says with a chuckle. “And 12 years have gone by so fast.”
Deutchman, who is married and has two daughters in their 50s and two grandkids, doesn’t just care for the little ones but also makes sure the worried mothers have someone to talk to and lean on when they need it.
“I chat with mothers, and sometimes I hold their hand, because holding a mom’s hand is just as important as holding a baby,” he says. “There’s a lot of stress for these parents. Having somebody tell them they can go get breakfast and assure them I’ll be there with their baby means something to them. It’s important.”
Deutchman visits the babies and parents on Tuesdays and Thursdays and says he never knows what to expect when he enters the hospital, but he always tries to find a way to offer comfort and warmth to those who need it.
“When I drive into that parking lot every other day, I never know what I’m going to see, who I’m going to meet, or what challenge will be in front of me,” he says. “It keeps changing, but if there’s anything I can do to make sure people are taken care of, that’s what I’m going to do.”