A sudden rush to the ER, a 24 week delivery and a fight that few babies survive. The odds were stacked against Action News reporter Sharifa Jackson and her baby.
Monday, May 4, 2026 9:38PMA sudden rush to the ER, a 24-week delivery, and a fight that few babies survive. The odds were stacked against Action News reporter Sharifa Jackson and her baby.
Now, she is bringing her daughter's resilient fight into a national conversation with ABC's Tamron Hall. Action News reporter Sharifa Jackson welcomes home daughter Arya after 8 month NICU stay"I tried not to think of it going wrong, but every day all the sirens were always blaring," Jackson said. In three hours, she was suddenly rushed to the hospital, delivering her daughter, Arya, 16 weeks early.
Over 236 days, she was treated for a heart defect, severe lung disease and received multiple blood transfusions.
"We get in the car, and finally we're driving home, and we're like, 'Whose baby is sitting right next to me in this car? Where are we going? We're taking her home?
'" Sharifa told Tamron. Sharifa also described what it's like finally having her daughter home as they figure out a "new normal.
" "It's been great. We can take her for walks, we can play with her, hold her whenever we want to," Sharifa said. "She's developing great. "
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