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Smallest baby born at Florida Hospital goes home

ORLANDO, Fla. — A local mother received the perfect Christmas gift Monday after spending nearly six months at Florida Hospital for Children. Holly Sorensen's baby is now ready to come home.

When Connor was delivered, he weighed just 14 ounces. Hospital officials said he is the smallest baby ever born at Florida Hospital.

Doctors say it's a miracle Conner survived.

Connor was born at 24 weeks, and doctors only gave him a 50 percent chance of survival.

Babies born at Connor's weight often don't survive because their essential organs are underdeveloped.

Over the past six months in the hospital, Conner had several surgeries to allow him to be fed properly.

But now, Connor weighs 6 pounds 8 ounces and he's finally ready to go home, just in time for the holidays.

"Conner is strong and brave and he's a fighter, and he did everything that he could to stay with us so that we could reach this day and finally go home together," said Sorensen.

A neonatologist told WFTV even though Connor is going home he's not completely in the clear.

He said premature babies often have respiratory problems, such asthma.