Nate was born on May 2, 2025. In late June, he began vomiting and became unusually sleepy—changes that set off alarms for us that something was wrong. We brought him to Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) emergency room, where imaging showed hydrocephalus caused by a rare choroid plexus tumor. Within hours, the neurosurgery team had a plan to relieve pressure and stabilize him. Over the next week, he underwent three brain surgeries, each step bringing our son a little more comfort and safety.

Thanks to the skill and compassion of CHOP's neurosurgery and neuro-oncology teams—and an incredible network of family, friends, and strangers cheering him on—Nate is now home, gaining strength, smiling, and preparing for future surgery to remove the tumor. We've learned how fragile and resilient a tiny life can be at the same time. Sharing Nate's story is our way of honoring the care that saved him, helping other families spot concerning signs sooner, and raising money to fund research so that treatments exist for the next child who needs them.

“We share to honor the teams who cared for Nate the Great and to help the next family feel less alone. Nate taught us how resilient a tiny life can be and we hope his story can help inspire others that even at the darkest moments Nate’s smile still lights up every room.”

-Matt, Nate’s dad