You may know David Deutchman from 2017, when he gained recognition as ‘ICU Grandpa’ after Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta posted about him on Facebook.
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| Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta |
“They call him the ICU Grandpa. On Tuesdays, he visits the PICU to hold babies whose parents can’t be with them that day. On Thursdays, he makes rounds in the NICU.
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This photo was taken by baby Logan’s mom as she fought back happy tears. Logan has been in our hospital for six weeks. Every night, his mom goes home to be with his big sister. Every morning, she drives back to Scottish Rite feeling ‘anxious that he’s been missing his mommy.’ On this particular morning, she walked into the PICU to find Logan—a preemie born at just 25 weeks—in the arms of David, who smiled and introduced himself as the ICU Grandpa. This photo captures just one precious moment with a legend of a hospital volunteer who’s been holding patients, and their parents’ hands, for 12 years.”
David was a former marketing boss who would spend his free time cuddling babies in the hospital ward, until one day when he decided to retire and continue a meaningful act by cuddling babies and offering the comfort they need. At this point, he was already volunteering at the hospital for 12 years.
Every Tuesday and Thursday (twice a week), he would visit the hospital’s paediatric intensive care unit to cuddle babies whose parents couldn’t be with them for many possible reasons, like being sick, having treatment, and so on.
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| Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta |
One could see how being an ‘ICU Grandpa’ had enriched his life, as David’s daughter revealed that over his 41 years of being a successful businessman, she never saw the kind of involvement that he has now with the people at the hospital.
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“When my guy friends would ask what I do, I’d just reply, ‘Well, I hold babies, get puked on, peed on….’ And they’d say, ‘Why would you do that?’” explained David to 11 Alive.
“But I’ve made this a priority in my life,” he continued.
Watching his love for cuddling babies is a reminder that it’s not just the babies getting all the hugs, but David, too, finds a sense of reward and love in return.
“I recommend everyone find a way to give back.”
When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, the hospital volunteers stopped coming around March.
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But later that month, David got diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. “No one saw this coming,” David’s daughter, Susan, told Today.
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| Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta |
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| Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta |
Regardless, David made it clear to his friends and family that he had lived a life full of love and meaning.
On the other hand, the hospital honoured the ICU Grandpa by arranging a car parade in front of his house to cheer him.
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David passed away two weeks after his cancer diagnosis at the age of 86.
But his legacy is a reminder that offering kindness may bring you back reward in ways you cannot explain.
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