The mother reported: “He says things like, ‘You are a part of me and I will never let anything bad happen to you.”
Becoming a big brother is a huge responsibility and an exciting moment for many children. For Mikey Marotta, the idea of being a big brother was not just a passing fancy. According to his parents, Mikey had long been looking forward to having a sibling, and he had already planned what they would wear as siblings come Halloween. In fact, if Santa were to ask Mikey what gift he wanted, his parents said that he would likely ask for a baby brother.
However, despite their best efforts, Mikey’s parents struggled with fertility, and their attempts to have a baby were dulled by infertility struggles. The most challenging part of this period was when Mikey’s mother, Jessica Marotta, suffered a miscarriage in 2007. It was a heartbreaking moment for the family, and it seemed as though Mikey might never have the little brother he had been dreaming of.
But then, something miraculous happened. In the summer of 2017, Jessica found out that she was pregnant, and the family’s dream of having a new member became a reality. However, the journey was far from easy. The baby was diagnosed with intrauterine growth restriction and had to be delivered via C-section. Mikey spent his days in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) with his parents, waiting anxiously for his little brother’s condition to improve.
It was in the NICU that Mikey learned about the importance of skin-to-skin contact, a bonding technique that involves holding a newborn baby against the parent’s bare chest. Jessica had held Mikey against her skin when he was younger, so she knew how powerful this technique could be. When Mikey was finally cleared to hug his brother, all sorts of emotions flowed through him. He held Jake close to his heart, knowing that he had the capability to be a good big brother.
Jessica shared that since then, Mikey and Jake have grown even closer. Mikey’s presence has a soothing effect on Jake, and the little boy turns his head in Mikey’s direction and looks for him whenever he hears his voice. For Mikey, Jake is the greatest gift he could ever ask for, and he is never ashamed of expressing how much his little brother means to him.
“He says things like, ‘You are a part of me, and I will never let anything bad happen to you,'” Jessica said. Mikey keeps a picture of Jake in his wallet and talks about him with pride and love. “I know that he’s always going to be there for me,” Mikey said in an interview with TODAY. “He’s my little brother, and I’m always going to protect him.”
Mikey’s story is a beautiful reminder of the power of sibling bonds and the joy that a new family member can bring. For Mikey, his little brother is not just a gift but a lifelong friend and companion.