Saab Magalona details Baby Pancho's harrowing birth story in new vlog

Saab Magalona calls her son Pancho her "miracle boy," and in her latest vlog, she reveals exactly why: he was not supposed to make it through the night.

In a seven-minute video filled with clips of Pancho since his birth, Saab shared Pancho's harrowing first days in the world as he fought to stay alive.

"The doctors advised Jim to take me to the NICU so that we could say goodbye to Pancho. They said it looked like he wasn't going to last the night. But like a superhero, Pancho fought," Saab said.

This was a heartbreaking moment for Saab and her husband Jim Bacarro, as they already lost Pancho's twin, Luna.

Because her baby girl's heart stopped beating, doctors had to perform an emergency C-section on Saab to try to save the life of Pancho.

The already dire situation was drawn out as she and Pancho were both in critical condition. Pancho was already suffering many complications: he had ventriculitis, sepsis, pulmonary hypertension, and grade 4 intraventicular hemorrhage.

At just 17 days old, Pancho had to undergo brain surgery.

Finally, they were able to go home after 58 days in the hospital.

Beating the odds

Throughout the video, Saab likened Pancho to a superhero, and she wasn't far off.

As he grew up, Pancho would beat the odds and exceed expectations.

"I cried so hard when the NICU told me to prepare because Pancho will 100 percent have some form of disability," Saab narrated.

 

 

 

 

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Happy Valentine’s Day!! Papa, let’s share date muna ok ?? #DailyPancho

A post shared by Panchito Burrito (@panchobacarro) on

Feb 13, 2019 at 5:06pm PST

She said they would notice that Pancho would not meet their eyes, and would not follow toys with his eyes.

Doctors said he might possibly be blind because of his previous brain injury.

"Just as Jim and I were slowly trying to accept it, he suddenly followed a toy with his eyes. Then he started reaching for it," Saab said.

"We were told he would have very limited motor skills. Possibly not even being able to roll over. Then he rolled over and over," she added.

She said he continues to "show cognitive skills that exceed expectations," and he's made many of his doctors cry.

Saab also tells people, "when you see us, don't feel bad that we're going through a different path than most families. Remember: he wasn't even supposed to make it through the night."

The singer mulls that in comic books, there are such a thing as multiverses and alternate universe — in one, Baby Luna might still be alive, and Pancho "might be like every other almost-two-year-old."

"But then I wouldn't have gotten to know this Pancho of ours...the Pancho who, like a superhero saved me and my husband," she said. "We are happy, honored in fact, to be in this superhero's timeline."

Just last September, Saab and Jim welcomed their second baby boy to the world, Vito.

When she first announced her second pregnancy, Saab said, "Jim and I know in our hearts that our baby has returned to us."

—JCB, GMA News