Downtown Erlanger Hospital celebrates 2024 ‘Miracle Kids’

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) — Family and friends gathered at the Downtown Chattanooga Erlanger Hospital to celebrate the 2024 Miracle Kids on Monday.

“Today we are honoring and introducing our 2024 Miracle Kids. And basically, these children are ambassadors for Children’s Hospital at Erlanger. Of course, we are part of the Children’s Miracle Network, made up of about 180 hospitals throughout North America,” said Andrea Perry Lyons with the Children’s Miracle Network.

The Children’s Hospital at Erlanger has been a member of The Children’s Miracle Network since 1986.

Andrea Perry Lyons with the Children’s Miracle Network says Erlanger has been dedicated to raising funds for patients.

“They have been instrumental in helping us to raise funds to purchase equipment to build our Kennedy outpatient center, the new MRI, several needed pieces of equipment and programming to continue supporting the children in this region,” said Lyons.

According to Children Hospital at Erlanger, Miracle Kids’ stories can range from leukemia survivors to even pediatric strokes.

Each year, Miracle Kids are recognized and celebrated by sharing their life saving stories.

On Monday evening, Anna Wyatt, Whitleigh Runyon, Brooklyn Rogier and the 2024 Miracle Champion Stone Gilley were honored for their miraculous recoveries.

Stone says it is because of God that he is still alive.

“God is real, because you can see it in me, because I trusted him with my life,” said Gilley.

Children’s Hospital at Erlanger hopes to continue raising awareness on Miracle Kids for years to come.

But for right now, Lyons says it’s a blessing that each child is alive and well.

“We are looking for things to lighten the load and to be able to see that these kids have overcome some incredible obstacles, it makes you feel good and it makes you want to support and continue supporting so that other kids can have the same experience,” Lyons concluded.