(audience applauding) - When my next guests
learned they were expecting after 17 difficult years
of trying to have a baby, the world rejoiced along with them in this moving viral video. (Arkell sobbing) Oh my gosh. (audience applauding and cheering) It's like the greatest video. It's just pure joy on your face. And you weren't trying, right, Dana? - No, we were not trying. Actually we had so many problems before. We were pregnant five times. We had one stillborn baby
and then four miscarriages. - That is hard on your heart. - It was definitely, it was very hard. Of course we always wanted a family. And we actually were
blessed to be able to adopt our oldest son, Keelan,
and he's a senior now. But I was blessed to be able
to cut his umbilical cord. And so we had kind of given
up trying to have a baby on our own because we felt
that he was our first miracle and we were just satisfied. We were thankful. - Yeah.
- Yes. - And I got so moved from
watching the video again that I totally forgot to introduce you. But I want to introduce you. Sorry, this is Arkell, Arkell, right? Like Kelly.
- Yes. - Arkell and Dana.
- Yes, yes - Right?
(audience applauding) I wanna introduce Dana and Arkell. I've never not introduced people. That's a first mess up
for me, but I was so moved by your video. It's just like, I know that
I've had friends in my life that have had trouble getting pregnant. And when that happens, it's just such joy. So how did you find out
that were pregnant Caleb? Because you weren't trying. - We were not trying and I actually started
having issues with swelling in my legs, my fingers. And my mother, she's a
nurse and she saw that, and she was like, "Dana I really need you "to go and get that checked. "There may be something
going on with your kidneys." So I went to my regular
doctor, they ran a few tests. When I came back in, my doctor said, "How far along are you?" And I look at him, I was
like, "What do you mean?" He said-
- At first were you like, that's rude.
- Yes. It's a little holiday weight. - Exactly. And so I said, "What do you mean?" And he said, "Well we checked your urine "and you're pregnant,
how far along are you?" I said, "I guess I'm about
12 hours 'cause I have "absolutely no idea what
you're talking about." - Oh my gosh. I'm about 12 hours. (laughing)
(audience applauding) - And so he told me that
I really needed to go to my OBGYN and find
out how far along I was. I was 18 and a half weeks pregnant. - Wow, I think that's
a God thing too because also having gone through what
you've already been through, trying to get pregnant, that adds stress. And that's not helpful in
trying to get pregnant. - Exactly.
- And so that's a God thing that you
didn't know the whole time. But you did have complications
with Caleb, correct? - Shortly after that video was made, I ended in ICU. I was having congestive heart failure. - Wow.
- And they stated that it was because of the
complications with Caleb. And the doctors, they were begging me to please, terminate the pregnancy. They told us that even if
we went forward with it, at this time I was about 21 weeks. And they said, "Even if
you do go forward with it, "you're going to have a
life long of disabilities. "We are not recommending
that you keep this baby." I remember one of the pulmonologists, and the cardiologist,
but the pulmonologist got on her knees and wanted
to be eye level with me. She said, "You do understand
that if you do not "terminate this pregnancy,
you are gonna die." She said, "I can tell
you your baby has less "than a one percent change to make it." She said, "But if you
continue this pregnancy "until we consider this a
viable pregnancy at 23 weeks, "you're going to die." And I told her, I said,
"Well that's just a chance "I'm a have to take,"
because I knew that God did not reveal this to
me, and I did not want to, I didn't want to terminate the pregnancy. I felt like it was a blessing in disguise. - Absolutely. I'm losing my mind here. How is Caleb today? - Our miracle, he's four years old now. He has cerebral palsy. He has a trach, he's our miracle. Caleb goes to school three days a week. Caleb loves to go to church. Caleb loves music, which he's thriving. He's beaten all the odds. - Yes. - Isn't that amazing what people tell you is going to happen, that in your heart you know
that it can be different, it will be different? - Yes.
- Yes. - That's an amazing thing to know and be present with yourself (audience applauding)
and know that. - Yes. - What was it like spending a year in the NICU with Caleb though? - I tell people that one day in the NICU is like a lifetime. He had four different
surgeries while in the NICU. - Wow.
- So it was just a- - And he's so tiny. - He was 13 ounces when he was born. The smallest baby in Virginia to survive. - Wow.
- And so again, a miracle-
- I love how you said it like that, to survive. - Yeah.
- To survive ever the odds. - Yes, yes, with less
than a one percent change to make it. God was truly on our side. - Yes, amen, amen. (audience applauding) And you actually turned
that kind of negative thing that happened to you, that
vibe, into something positive, it's called, Baby buns.
- Baby Buns For Life. - Yeah.
- And we actually started a non profit organization. And while I was in the hospital and while Caleb was in the hospital, we actually started making just Baby Buns blessing bags, and we would pass it around to the parents that were in the hospital. And there were all kind of items in there. A lot of the parents, they
would actually stay overnight, so we even wanted to
make sure that they had nice toiletries from
some of nice body shops. So if they took a shower at the hospital then they would smell good, you know? - Yeah.
- So anything small to make them feel good. - Yes, it's such a
beautiful thing you've done. (audience applauding) Have y'all anybody, have y'all experienced anything like this before? - Well I was actually a SIDS baby and my grandmother-
- Wait a SIDS? - SIDS, Sudden Infant-
- No I know but so you died? - My grandmother brought me back with CPR. I was in the my mom's arms. - Best grandma ever. - Nana, that's Nana Ever for sure. - Whoa. - And my mom was 19 years
old and it was just like, if she didn't have her family around her. Who knows what could have happened? And I was on a heart
monitor forever after that. This was the 80s. And they had to make sure
that I could keep breathing on my own. And so it's amazing
what you guys are doing to help because it's just
like, to have a child at all, but then to have
complications, is so hard. So it's amazing what you all are doing. - Thank you.
- Thank you. - Yeah. - Dana and Arkell have been
there to help so many families breathe just a little bit
easier with Baby Buns, which is the greatest thing ever. And they have no idea
but we have someone here who wants to give Dana and
Arkell a huge thanks in person. Please welcome Erika y'all. (audience applauding and cheering) - [Kelly] Yeah! - Oh. - Hi.
- Hi! Oh you are cute. - Say hi.
- Hello. - Hi, nice to see you. - Nice seeing you. - Oh my gosh, you're adorable. - Wow.
- Look at how special. - Hi baby. - So cute, hold onto mama, hold on. Yeah. Are you saying cheese? She turned and saw the
audience and went, "Hey." (laughing) That was awesome. All right so Erika tell
us a little about Jace. - Hey.
- Hey! - Jace was born at 24 weeks. - Wow.
- So I was literally six months pregnant when I had her. - [Kelly] Yeah. - And she was born one pound, four ounces. - [Kelly] Wow. - So which they call a
micro preemie at 24 weeks. - Wow, so tell us about meeting Dana. How did you hook up with Dana? - My sister in law, wonderful
Tanya, she's so awesome, she knows Dana and has
been helping her out with the Baby Buns foundation. And she said, "My sister in
law's baby is in the hospital," and she wanted to reach out to me. And she surprised me and came into, well we kinda knew it was last minute. And she came in and
talked to me in the NICU. - That's so sweet. - It was difficult because
she didn't know that day Jace had a really bad moment. They were giving her CPR
and bringing her back. - Oh I can't imagine.
- And Dana came in and right the same day. - Maybe you needed it that day. - It was just awesome
because she gave me life and just let me know that
everything was gonna be okay. And if I can get through
it, you can get through it. - Yes.
- It means a lot. - [Kelly] Hey!
(audience applauding) - [Erika] It means a lot. - So Erika, do you want to tell, I know you wanna talk. You keep talking. - Yeah.
- Yeah. - You got a little star
on your hands, all right. So Erika do you wanna tell
Arkell or Dana anything? - I just wanna tell you
all, I didn't really see you in there but it's both of
you so, thank you so much for everything and believing in me, and keeping me prayed up and
having the whole community pray for us, and for the gift basket. It was perfect. It was soap and Chapstick,
'cause your lips are dry in the hospital. - These are things you don't think about. - No, the little notepad
to write things on. And you're just doing so much and you're just so selfless. - Oh thank you.
- After everything you've been through, all you
two think about is giving back and that just means a lot, so thank you. Thank you so much. - Are you clapping?
(audience applauding) Yay! I mean, it's always a struggle
to go through something so difficult, but how does it feel though that you turned that situation
into something powerful that helps other people? How's that feel? Feels good to her. - We're absolutely honored
to be able to do it. People are thinking of,
when you're in a hospital there are financial struggles, on top of the life struggles. - You're seeing your baby
- I got you. - literally fighting for their life. And as she said, they
had to revive her child. I know they had to revive
Caleb so many different times and we were in there, we would see that. And your emotions going up and down. You're excited because
you walk in the room and your child is still there, your child is breathing.
- Yes. - And all of a sudden you find out that they had a stroke. (laughing) - And look how fun they are. They're the most beautiful,
magnificent things. You're so cute.
- They are. - Oh you just wanna take your shoes off. You would've been good with me on tour, I didn't perform with shoes for 10 years. Just take them off, I
don't like these either. You want me to take mine off? I mean these are just
little blessings y'all. They're so beautiful. - [Dana] Yes. - What you guys are doing
is absolutely special. - [Arkell] Thank you. - I will definitely be making a donation. - Oh that's awesome, thank you.
(audience applauding) That it such a blessing. That is such a blessing, thank you. - Well you are all amazing parents, amazing parents.
- Thank you. - You've been through a lot so. Thank you so much for sharing your story, it's not always easy to
share these kinda trials that are presented to us and as our story. So thank you so, Yay.
- Yay. - Say yay.
- Yay. But thank you so much, - Thank you.
- I really do appreciate it. And Baby Buns y'all.
