“ICU Grandpa” in Georgia dies of cancer, hugging a sick premature infant | National News

Atlanta — “Baby Whisper”, “ICU Grandpa”, and sometimes “Grandpa David”.

These are the nicknames David Deutchman earned after 14 years of volunteering at Scottish Rite’s Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta.

Every Tuesday and Thursday, Deutchman went to the hospital to take care of sick and premature babies.

According to his family, Deutchman died on November 14, at the age of 86, just 17 days after being diagnosed with stage IV pancreatic cancer.

“I am grateful for every minute I spent with this great husband, father and grandfather,” his daughter, Susan Lily, told CNN.

Deutchman spent his career in international sales, and after he retired he decided to start volunteering.

“He had an appointment for physiotherapy in the building next door, and he saw the hospital and just stopped by,” Lily said. “He said,’I want to do something with the kids.’

That led to his next action: becoming a “baby whisper,” Lily said.

Joanna Slade, a children’s health care nurse in Atlanta who worked with Deutchman for eight years in the hospital, said she had never seen her baby crying in her arms.

“He was a very calm person for our children,” Slade said. “When my parents and family couldn’t be there, he was always there to hug my child.”

Volunteering in the neonatal intensive care unit requires specialized training. After completing the training, Deutchman became well known throughout the hospital and often had long relationships with the families he met.

“He really had an incredible feel to comfort the baby,” Lily said. “And often their parents.”

Once Deutchman’s diagnosis was known, Atlanta Children’s Healthcare staff and his “children” began to show their “ICU Grandpa” how much he meant to them.

Slade and Atlanta’s Children’s Healthcare staff held a drive-by-parade in front of their homes, exhibiting NICU transport trucks, balloons, hearts, and wishing cars.

“Love was obvious,” Lily said. “When you are in such sadness, there is little that anyone can say, but our family definitely recognizes and appreciates the overflow of love from the people he touches. . “

Slade said he hopes that Detchman’s legacy will continue to provide some comfort to his family in the future.

“I certainly hope that families who have lost their children will be a little relieved to know that there is an ICU grandpa with open arms waiting to comfort them.”