This is the Truth Network. Today is the culmination episode of a three-part series. To hear how the Lord sustained Jill Aguiar and her family through the sudden loss of her father at just 15 years old, join us for part one, which aired two weeks ago. To hear how the Lord sustained Tom and Jill Aguiar through the grueling trial of the NICU with their 12-ounce baby, listen to last week's episode. We hope that you enjoy today's episode and that you find him faithful throughout all generations.
Welcome to Hope in the Morning. turning tragedies and tears into testimonies of hope. Welcome to Hope in the Morning. We have very special guests today. We have Tom and Jill Aguiar and we are also joined with their beautiful daughter Noelle.
And we spoke in the last episode about how your journey with Noelle was not an easy one. But it was a miraculous one.
So here you didn't know whether or not Noel was going to survive. Here she is, a beautiful 14-year-old standing before us. And so you had a pretty long journey in the NICU. But as you transitioned to bringing Noelle home, what were some of the unique challenges and precautions that you had to take as you brought Noelle home? They were very specific with us that the only reason that we were being allowed to take her home was because of how we'd been trained in the NICU.
And so basically, we needed to repeat what we had there at home.
So all the precautions that we were doing in the NICU needed to remain the same for quite some time. And so what that often looked like was we washed our hands every time before we touched her. If somebody was Out of the house and came back in, clothes got changed. Often a shower was taken, shoes did not come through the house. Everything was wiped down, bags.
um everything. Um certain things would require gloves. If anybody came over um to visit, they had to wash their hands and then they had to place a blanket over their clothing before they could hold her. Um you had to be very well for a long time before you could visit Um just all those kind of practical things because still anything as simple as a cold could still kill her at the time. Did you guys find was there any level of fear or apprehension that you had transferring her care from being surrounded with hospital staff to now being on your own at home?
Not at first, the first uh When we first came home that first day, I think we were just so excited. It had been so long. We never had even expected to come home. And we had actually been expecting to spend at least two or three more months in the NICU because there were still some things that they thought were wrong. But um they had quickly decided that Because of her care, and that we were managing a lot of that up at the NICU because I was up there every day.
So I was doing everything possible. possible myself. And so they said, if you can repeat this at home, then we can bide our time because they thought she'd need to come back in for at least one more surgery.
Okay. And so we were just. thrilled to be out of the NICU. until the next morning and we had to go I had I was sent home with a very long list of appointments with specialists. We had to be at our pediatrician the first thing the next morning so she could get her own baseline.
and I remember he had to go to work And I had a baby in a carrier and a diaper bag, and I had her attached to oxygen and an extra oxygen tank and the pump. And I mean, I was just loaded down. And I remember looking at her and saying out loud, like, what did they do? Sending her home with us. And I just, I was meeting somebody else that was going to help me at the doctor's office, but still.
It was overwhelming initially. And then you get in the rhythm of things and Um We didn't want to go back in, but we did go back up to the NICU several times, even in that first month. just be and they would weigh her and check her. Any time that we were just uncertain about something, there were a few times we uh had questions like, Is this okay? We would just go back up to the NECU.
Okay. And they would they would check her out.
So it still helped that we still had a semblance of that supply. Yeah. How how long was she in the NICU? I think I had it wrong the last time. It was like 118 days or something.
She was in there basically December 8th. To April 2nd, I believe.
Okay, okay.
So a good long time. And during that time, and especially once you brought her home and now she's under your care and your watch, and I know you had her hooked up to monitors so you would be able to keep track of everything, her oxygen, everything. How did that increase your guys' faith and your reliance on the Lord? I think it's just understanding that he is a sovereign lord and that he is. An intimate father who you can trust and know that even through times of suffering that.
He provides you with all the care that you need. even through the times of the uh in the hospital. that we knew ultimately That Our care was placed in him solely and completely, and that he was. Um someone who was acquainted with grief, so we knew that he had walked. alongside of us through the hardest times, knowing that he could provide only the most intimate love and that outflowing of love was given to Noel as a result.
So hmm. I love that. And, you know, you guys, you went into the NICU. Once she was born, you knew that you would be in the NICU. And it really, as we mentioned at the beginning, it was a miracle that she was born.
She was so tiny and she let out that little cry. And then the fact that they were able to intubate her and stabilize her was incredible. But it's a long journey when you're pregnant and you don't know what the outcome is going to be. And how would you guys encourage how would you encourage a mother? And how would you encourage a father who is walking through An unknown future.
I mean, at the end of the day, we know all of our futures ultimately are unknown to us, right? When you're walking through A pregnancy that you don't know how it's going to end. You don't know if it's going to end in a live birth or with your child going straight to the arms of the Lord. How What would be one piece of advice that you would give a mom walking through that or a father walking through that? Ah, focus on what is true.
what you know is absolutely true. of God and His attributes and uh Obviously we understand that the Lord has given us feelings. for a reason. but you never let those overtake and you have to instruct those with what you know is true. Or else those can just Take over because it doesn't, you don't often feel the kindness of God.
It doesn't feel good in the moment. It can feel severe and painful and hard. But knowing that you are trusting that he is over that. and that his kindness is still there. His goodness is still there.
and his care and love are still there. Regardless of what you feel in the moment. Um You just have to keep repeating your tr repeating his truth to your heart. And not only that, whether it's what you are everything that you're intaking. Those are the times to really guard and protect that.
Like don't don't be reading wishy-washy books. Don't be reading like soft theology. Don't be listening to music like that's just only uh feel good music that's real Feeding your emotions, listen to the things that are true. And that is what, in the end, brings the most comfort and. carries you through those really hard days.
Who's that? What would you say, Tom? How would you encourage a husband and a father? I think, as a father, you want to provide. that element of protection to your family, but you can't.
You have to trust the doctors and the only way I think That I can encourage another father who's walking through that is prayer. Your your faith is tested. at the ultimate hardest point when you have a sick child, when you have a And the only way that you can walk through that is through prayer and seeking the Father's help. And knowing that he has an ultimate plan, that he can guide you through that and you don't have to guide. Yourself and your family through that.
As fathers, we have to have a strategy and a plan and be On top of it, but I think the hardest thing is to have an open hand to God and know that He. He can give you that guidance through prayer. Yeah, I know that um When something like this goes on Um And you're looking for God all over the place, right? Where is He? How could He be in this?
And. Often He sends somebody. That you went Oh. And maybe you were just holding their hand or maybe there was something and you felt like, okay. He's here and he's here with this person, was there somebody like that that showed up?
in the situation. I think we had an army of people in one sense between our family and then our church family. When he walked out of the delivery room, And our pastor was there. And And We did. We didn't know that he even knew how to get in the right place at the right time, but the Lord knew.
We didn't even know that that many people knew that we'd ended up because it had been an emergency C-section.
So yeah, and Carrie was there. all from the moment we found out the bad news all the way through. Um, he'd just show up. when we least expected it, but we needed him. Um sat with us through surgeries and procedures and, you know, Would just take our minds off of it, but also be ready to pray with us and talk through the hard things if we needed that.
But, um Yeah. The re on the other side of it, it was just that We were in the NICU unexpectedly. But because, but it was from a different side. Like, most people are there expecting a normal pregnancy, and then they land in the NICU, and the world is. turned upside down.
We were there unexpectedly because we had expected death. And then every day that was another day of life was this huge gift.
So just that in and of itself that God was giving that to us. I mean, we didn't know how long we would have her, but... Knowing that every hour and then another day that passed, and then a week that passed. That in and of itself was just him. Really revealing Himself to us right in those moments that He was there and He was carrying us through.
Okay. I think that that reiterates too the importance of being a part of a local church. You know, I mean, how scripture talks about don't forsake the assembly. And it's a commitment, right, that we make sure that we are there. But it's such a beautiful support when you go through hard things, and we all go through hard things, but You were surrounded.
You had a pastor who not only loved you, but knew you and knew what the circumstance was. And so, when you entered that situation, when you entered that hospital, not knowing whether she was gonna cry or not. He already knew what those situations were. You weren't having to update, you know, the the hospital pastor about what your situation was. He knew and he'd been praying for you.
And as you said, you had a whole team of warriors at church that were faithfully praying for you and praying for her and ready to support you regardless of what that outcome looked like. And when we come back, we have a pretty neat opportunity to talk to Noelle herself and kind of get to know her a little bit. And you're not going to want to miss getting to meet with Noelle.
So join us again in a moment on Hope and More. Do you have a heart to comfort the hurting? Do you want to show the world that through Jesus Christ we can have hope in all circumstances?
Well, then we welcome you to visit hopeinthemorning.org and see how you can join us in these ministry endeavors. May you be encouraged by who our God is as you continue this episode of Hope in the Morning. To learn more, visit us at hopeinthemorning.org. Are you in a season of seemingly endless sorrow? Is your heart longing for encouragement?
Join us on Hope in the Morning to hear powerful testimonies of how God is a light even in our darkest valley. We'd also love to pray for you. Simply submit your prayer request at hopeinthemorning.org. To learn more, visit us at hopinthemorning.org. John thirteen thirty five says.
By this, everyone will know that you are my disciples if you love one another. Do you know how to best love and serve your hurting brother or sister in Christ? Listen to Hope in the Morning and be equipped to offer the hope of Jesus to every hurting heart. To learn more or to partner with our ministry, visit us at hopeinthemorning.org. Welcome back to this more than cool section of Hope in the Morning.
As I know a lot of you are very, very anxious to get to know Wal. Of course, we have. Her parents, Tim and Jill with us, and excuse me. Tom, Tom and Jill, this goes to show you I am human. And so anyway, I know that we are.
Uh you know, your parents talked about an hour of life. A week of life, you know, and here we are all so blessed, right, to see 14 years, right, that you've had a chance to experience this. And so, how neat. that that your parents have been there. How does it Ha Is that something that you guys ever talk about, Noel?
I'm just happy that I get to be alive. and that the Lord has blessed me and my parents. That's wonderful. Noah, what are what are some of the things that make you special? There's some things that you like.
I like swimming and horseback riding.
Okay. I love that. What are some things that your mom or dad do that make you feel very loved? I like to give hugs and do art. Yeah.
And reading together. And reading together. I love that. So that horse that you that that you ride when you go horsepack riding, do you have a particular one you like best? Horseback riding is my personal favorite.
Yeah, I would think. I'm with you. It's a lot of fun. It's essentially a quine therapy. Yeah, not full-blown.
Who is your favorite horse, though? We do remember? Angel, but she died. Oh wow, that was hard. Yeah, that was hard.
So who did you ride last time? Last summer? Who did you ride? I actually rode two horses. and their names were Herschel, He was beige and and mistletoe with she was all black with a white stripe on her face.
Mm-hmm. Yeah. No, it's right down here. Really? That's fun.
I love it. Noelle, do you do you like all animals? You like spending time with animals? Horses and dogs. Horses and dogs.
And you have a beautiful, very big dog, don't you? Yeah. Yeah. Her name is Olette. She's a big Pyrenees.
One year old. And she's probably bigger than you, huh? Yeah. Yeah. She's very.
Sexually up to her waist. Yes. She's very cute. She's very big. Noelle, what are some things that You think when your mom and dad have shared little parts of your story and how amazing it is.
That God did protect your life and give you now 14 years of life. What are some things that you and your mommy and daddy? Talk about or thank God for in your prayers. Like when you have a birthday, What are some things that you thank God for? each year on your birthday.
Um I really announced, you know. Are you thankful that God has made you strong now and able to be home with not only your mommy and daddy, but your little brother now too? Yes. Yeah. You're a fighter, Noelle.
You were a very... Tough little girl in the best sense, right? You were a very brave little girl. And, you know, my kids, my kids love you and they play with you, but they always talk about Noelle is so tough. You're like, Noelle, you know, we'll be playing and she'll fall down and get hurt.
And she's like, I'm fine. Because she's just, you're a brave little girl, aren't you? Yeah. Yeah. I used to cry when I fell down, but now I don't really do that much.
Yeah. I mean, you've you've been through a lot of different things. Ouch, and then that's it. There you go. Because you're a tough girl, huh?
Tough and brave. Yes. Tom and Jill, what would you say are some things that you guys love most about Noelle, and what do you guys think makes her uniquely special? I th she is very tough. I've literally had her walk through the front door, blood go gushing down her knee, and she's, I'm fine, I'm just gonna go get a bandaid She's and that's really just because she did endure so much pain.
and then I cue. Um She did not cry much for anything, even once we came home. But Ian screened. She's tiling on her little brother. You would just scream.
Literally.
So you gotta set that example for him, right? And say, this is how we act tough as kids, right, Noelle? Yeah. Yeah. But everything on work.
Scream. He did. Yeah. But he doesn't. I didn't scream as much, but with him, she had the nightmare.
Didn't this is just an honest conversation about any siblings, right? Noelle, do you think that even because of what God carried you through when you were itty-bitty and you were in the NICU and you were a fighter even then, when you were super tiny? Do you think that even now that you work really hard at things? Are you a very diligent worker in your school work or any therapies you have to do? You're a very hard worker?
Mhm. Yeah. Some things were difficult, like writing.
Okay. Have you learned the value, though, of sticking through things that are hard even when they're hard? Mm-hmm. I learned to work through some things out. Even then, even then, at that time frame, it was hard, but...
But the Lord was very gracious to me and Key. If I just If I just would hold stefast to him, he could help me get through turbulent times And even with when they're hard. I checked trust in him. I think that's something that makes you very special. You know, that at 14 years old, You not only are a hard worker, that you see the value in working through things even when they're really difficult.
But you know where your strength comes from, don't you? Where does your strength come from, Noel? Yeah. It's not come It doesn't govern yourself.
So when you have a really hard time, whether it's with writing or anything else that you have a hard time with, do you pray and ask God that He would give you strength and courage? No. You don't you don't pray and ask him for that? No. What do you do?
What do you do? Hello. How do you seek his help? Um Do we pray together sometimes and ask for help? Usually at bedtime.
Okay. And I'm lying in my bed. She just. comes in and prays and then turns out the light and then I go to sleep. Do your mommy and daddy encourage you?
a lot when things are hard. Yeah. They've been your cheerleaders since the time you were born. And they've watched you fight hard, and even though Even though You had to fight those battles and work through those hard things on your own. Your mommy and daddy are right there by your side every day, faithfully praying for you and caring for you.
Tom and Jill, how would you describe that experience of knowing that ultimately the different challenges that she faced, especially when she was tiny in the NICU? She was having to endure those things. There's no way you can take that from her as much as we would want to. How did you guys handle that and how did you pour that burden. back to the Lord and put it in his hands.
Often initially it was just crying out in prayer and with tears because we were powerless to do anything else, and we you could see the suffering. Um I mean, every day, and they told us every intervention that they were doing also had a negative side, and we could visibly often see that. you know, they'd give her a drug to help calm her down because the breathing machine, while it's helping her breathe, is also agitating her. But then coming off of that drug was its own challenge. You know, she's constantly being poked.
For testing and getting blood draws and blood gases just to make sure that all the levels of everything are staying well. IVs would blow, and then you'd have to put it in somewhere else, and then that one would fail. And I remember the first time we walked in and saw an IV in her head, like That just was shocking and No, then you get, you know, two, three months down the road and you're like, put it in her head, it's the safest place to put it 'cause you've gained some perspective. You know, the first time they said we need to do a blood transfusion, that was just And then you get A few weeks in, and they're like, or did another blood transfusion? You're like, all right.
I did not like being poked. No battle.
So that has remained, obviously, which no kid does like that, but to see the. That's been challenging to see the after Yeah. I just say ouch and That's it? I used to scream and howl when I got fucked. Not really, not really.
No, she wasn't. Was that a was that? A challenge because as she grew into like toddlerhood, or even as a a baby still, but not in that NICU stage. Was it a challenge to see kind of the remnants of some of those things where she, if she was going to get poked or have to have a procedure done? Was was there like a fear there with her where she didn't she had a fear of doctors kind of?
Oh yeah, like he ha wore white to work.
So his whole uniform was white. If he came in the door in that white, like, she would just freeze. Oh, okay. Because that was. That was what the doctors wore.
A lot of the nurses wore blue, so blue was another color, like she'd freeze. We walked in one day into the mail. the post office. And it looked to her, I can see it looked like a sterile environment. You know, there's a d a check-in desk to her, that's what it looked like.
She just started crying and just holding me really tightly. It happened a couple of other places. Anything that looked like a reception area with a waiting area. Um, we walked in another day, I think it was a we were si closing on our house, so we walked into the lawyer's office just started clutching me, you would see those, and it was usually a c a very silent cry. She was never allowed Um Or a association.
that fear with her. Noelle, did your mommy and daddy help you when you were feeling afraid? Would they stop and talk to you or give you hugs or pray with you when you were starting to feel afraid? Uh I don't exactly remember. You don't remember?
But But when I But when I think about those things, and it's like my mind goes back in time to those time periods. But If I'm here right now, I can't exactly remember. I only remember at different times. That makes a lot of sense. I think that's how a lot of us work, right, with our memories.
Sometimes we remember and sometimes it's hard to remember. Yeah. Would would that be kind of what you guys would do, is just kind of stop and be able to address her fears and how would that look like? We t I would just speak truth to her. I would tell her that it was okay or that I was right there, that I was holding her.
If we weren't in a place where anything was going to happen, I would r try to repeat that language. to her. I I mean this started h before she was even able to talk.
So But even with speech therapy, we know we to always narrate to her.
So just narrating truth to her about the situation. If it was a blood draw or something like that, just telling her, I'll be right here. This is what you do. Giving her the words or actions to say, especially she did gain speech. To say ouch or hold my hand or squeeze my hand, like giving her very specific tasks.
to focus on and to do. Those are we would just walk her through it so that she learned Uh how to think, what to do, and then understand to trust mommy that this is going to be over quickly if it was something like that. But we would just walk her through each step as well as we could. Yeah, to prepare ahead of time so I made sure I didn't wear my white uniform home. I would change at work and come home and you would go into a situation kind of knowing this might be difficult, so prepare ahead of time a little and talk with her and give her those abilities to vocalize.
Yeah. So So when you say giving her those abilities to vocalize, Jill, were you saying that you worked diligently to help her understand how to put words to what she was feeling so that she could communicate and and express that In in a way that made her feel safe and secure. Yes, and and also what was true, because the I think the tendency, especially for a child in that situation, is to panic. Uh is they've already been through something Bad. They've experienced a lot of pain at the hands of people who are helping them.
And so understanding that. This might hurt for a moment. But we're doing what is best for you. And this is as much as I can tell you, this is what it's going to feel like. It might feel like a pinch or it's going to be a poke, and it's going to, I'm going to hold your hand while this happens.
This is what you can say or do, like say ouch or squeeze, and giving them those direct tasks. uh really helps them process and work through it. Yeah. You know, I I hear a lot of people who are they've been through Traumatic situations like that, or having been through a few myself. They use the term, it was the Worst of times, but it was the best of times.
Yeah. How is it the best of times? I think ultimately knowing that your faith will be tested, but you will grow through that.
So that's how much you know there's There's so much that I grew as a Christian through the most difficult periods. you know, the the best of times in our eyes Is great, but the worst of times, also, in our eyes, could be a great opportunity for the Lord's eyes to grow you.
So even though in our worldly perspective it's the worst of times, that's that's the father's ultimate plan and that That is what's good and right for him to do through us. Hmm. I think that you guys have such a unique and powerful story that really showcases what you just said, Tom. Because going all the way back, you know, for those that are listening on the radio right now, tune into our podcast because we're going to be turning this into a full podcast program where we're actually combining three different radio airings. Because, Jill, you have not only faced the loss of your dad in a very sudden way at the age of only 15, and we interviewed you and your mom about that.
But then you went on to have a very high-risk pregnancy. We interviewed you and Tom, where you didn't know what the outcome was going to be, and yet you had to trust the Lord. You were in another season of waiting and not knowing what the Lord was going to call you to. And then today, being able to see how the Lord. Brought Noelle here and such a sweet little girl.
But it was not without trial, you know, and not just trial for you guys, but trial for her. You know, she's endured a lot. And yet you guys have been such a beautiful example of praising the Lord throughout these different hardships that you guys have faced in various seasons. And so if you're listening on the radio, I highly encourage you to come and check out the podcast and hear the entirety of their story. But before we leave, Noelle, I wanna just ask you a final question, which is, what do you want to be when you grow up?
An Olympic horse rider. An Olympic horse rider. I love that. And you know what, Noelle? You've already shown that you are a hard worker and that you're able to do things that are challenging, huh?
Yeah, and that's my goal. I love that Noel.
Well thank you so much for joining us today on Hope in the Morning. Hope in the Morning is a non-profit ministry that seeks to encourage the hurting, equip those who walk beside them, and evangelize the lost with the hope of Jesus Christ. To partner with our ministry or to make a donation in your loved one's honor, please visit hopeinthemorning.org. Your donation helps keep these stories of hope on the air and helps tangibly meet the needs of the hurting.
