LDL. “The Amazing Ryder” Turns 11 Months Old: A 17-Week Preemie’s Miracle Journey From 1.5 Pounds to Thriving at Home

Today is a milestone day for a little boy his family and community have come to call “The Amazing Ryder.”

Ryder Newbold turns 11 months old—a celebration that carries extra weight because just months ago, many people were praying simply for him to survive the night.

Ryder’s story is one of grit, faith, and the kind of slow-moving miracle that unfolds one breath, one ounce, and one hard-earned milestone at a time.

Born 17 Weeks Early at Just 1.5 Pounds

Ryder entered the world under extraordinary circumstances.

On January 30, Ryder’s mother, Brittany Newbold, was told her cervix was failing and her umbilical cord was wrapped in her amniotic sac—an urgent and frightening situation. Ryder was delivered at 23 weeks and 2 days, weighing only 1.5 pounds.

For parents, those numbers are staggering. Babies born that early face immense risks and long NICU stays. Every small victory becomes a major event: stable oxygen levels, feeding tolerance, weight gain, and the absence of infection.

Brittany—an assistant principal at Moody High School—and her husband, Eugene, a Hoover police officer, leaned into a wave of support from family, friends, and coworkers as their baby fought through the earliest and most fragile days of life.

The Prayers Poured In — and Ryder Grew

As the months passed, Ryder’s story became one that people followed with hope.

And then came the moment many families dream of: discharge day. Ryder was able to come home in late July, a turning point that marked the end of one chapter and the beginning of a new one—learning how to care for a medically fragile infant outside the hospital, celebrating progress in a quiet home instead of a NICU room.

“He Weighs Over 21 Pounds”—A New Update From Mom

This week, Brittany shared a fresh update as Ryder turns 11 months old—“7 months corrected,” she noted for fellow preemie parents.

According to Brittany, Ryder has been home since the end of July and—aside from a current cold—has been “pretty healthy.” The numbers alone tell a powerful story: he now weighs over 21 pounds, a remarkable change from the 1.5-pound newborn who arrived 17 weeks early.

Ryder’s personality is also shining through.

“Food is our favorite,” Brittany wrote, sharing that he’s now eating baby food three times a day—a milestone that represents strength, growth, and a body learning to thrive.

Less Oxygen, More Independence

One of the biggest signs of progress is Ryder’s breathing support.

Brittany shared that Ryder is now off all daytime oxygen and only uses oxygen for naps and bedtime. For many preemie families, decreasing oxygen needs is a huge milestone—often celebrated not because it looks dramatic, but because it means the lungs are doing more of the work on their own.

At the same time, Ryder is hitting milestone after milestone:

• Rolling both directions
• Rocking on hands and knees
• Pivoting
• Crawling backward (with forward coming soon)
• Sitting independently
• Holding his own bottle (when he feels like it)

And yes, Brittany added with a smile—he’s also “a master at being stubborn,” a trait many parents secretly love because it often comes with determination.

A Baby Who Lights Up for His Big Brother

Perhaps the sweetest detail in Brittany’s update was about Ryder’s relationship with his older brother, Raylan.

She wrote that Ryder thinks his big brother “hung the moon” and lights up anytime Raylan walks into the room—one of those family moments that feels small but carries deep emotional meaning for parents who remember the months when their baby wasn’t home yet.

Looking Ahead to a “Calmer 2026”

After a year that started in crisis, the Newbold family is now looking forward to something many families take for granted: calm.

Brittany shared that they’re excited for a “much calmer 2026,” including Ryder’s first birthday at the end of January—a milestone that will mean more than cake and candles. It will be a celebration of survival, progress, and a journey that has touched everyone who prayed for him.

For those who have followed Ryder’s story from the beginning, today is a reminder that miracles don’t always arrive in one dramatic moment. Sometimes, a miracle looks like weight gain. Oxygen reduced. Sitting up. A bottle held in tiny hands. A baby laughing at his big brother.

And today, it looks like an 11-month-old boy—once 1.5 pounds—still growing, still fighting, and still earning the name he was given by the people who love him most:

The Amazing Ryder. 🙏💛