(Memphis) From the very start of little Michael Boga’s life, this little boy, also known as MJ, has given new meaning to being a special child and an unexpected blessing for his parents, Michael Boga, Sr. and his wife, Latashia Bobo.
“I love my baby because he makes my day. That’s what I live for,” Bobo said.
“I’ve been with my wife for 15 years and I thought she couldn’t have anymore kids and God blessed us with him,” Boga said.
MJ looks healthy, but this 1-year-old has endured more than a lifetime of problems no child should ever have to go through.
“When I first found out I was pregnant, and due to my health problems, they really didn’t want me to prolong the pregnancy,” Bobo said.
At first, no one knew how long MJ would live after he was born.
“I put it like that a miracle baby. Like before he was born it was like he wasn’t going to make it,” Boga said.
MJ was born with a wide range of respiratory problems. Dr. Max Langham is a pediatric surgeon at Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital.
“He’s had trouble swallowing, trouble eating, controlling his secretions and trouble with his airway and was cared for a long time in the neo-natal care unit,” Langham said.
It was a frightening time for MJ’s family.
“It was scary when he was born. For the whole 3 months they kept him in ICU and tubes all over him and then he had to have a blood transfusion,” Boga said.
Unlike many children MJ’s age, he wasn’t crawling or sitting-up on his own and he needed what’s called a ‘G-tube’ for eating.
To make matters worse, MJ’s mother, Latashia, suffered a heart attack a few months after he was born and about year earlier her mom died.
But the Bogas never lost hope
“God knows who he gave this baby to and he gave it to the right people because me and my wife, we love children and God gave him to the right ones,” Boga said
The Bogas say MJ is being cared for in the right place, Le Bonheur, and they say the work being done here is strengthening their faith.
“I know God can work miracles because I have seen it for myself and second of all, the older he’s getting, he’s getting better,” Boga said.
“Michael’s (MJ) got a terrific family, great quality of life, he’s thriving right now, but that’s only because of a lot of hard work and medical care he’s received at our institution,” Langham said.
The Boga family calls this institution a blessing from God and one that saved their little boy’s life and gave hope, and that place is Le Bonheur.
“Well, God, first of all helps me, the doctors and nurses,” Bobo said.
“Yep, my son is alive because of Le Bonheur because Le Bonheur is wonderful. It’s a wonderful children’s hospital. They are wonderful,” Boga said.