Nurses Who Adopted Baby from NICU Surprised with a Mexican Vacation!

Sponsored by Fairmont Mayakoba | A pair of married nurses are showing the world how miraculous adoption can be.

Jennifer Hudson welcomed married nurses Drew and Taylor Deras from Omaha, Nebraska, along with their 3-year-old daughter, Ellla, to the special Mother’s Day episode of “The Jennifer Hudson Show.”  

Drew and Taylor met while working together in the NICU in 2017. They fell in love and got married three years later. The couple planned to one day start a family, but they never could have imagined that one of their patients would become their daughter!

In 2021, the couple began caring for a patient in the NICU named Ella who was born 4 months early at one pound two ounces. Her brain and lungs weren’t fully developed, and doctors didn’t think she would make it through the night. Despite all odds, Ella grew stronger each day and overcame many health challenges.

Taylor and Drew were Ella’s nurses and cared for her for months. Taylor and Drew told Jennifer on the show that their bond with Ella grew stronger as they stayed by her side in the hospital.

When they found out that Ella’s mother was unable to care for her and the baby became a ward of the state, they wanted to foster Ella.

“I know her so well, and I love her as my patient, and I want to take her home and foster her,” Taylor recalled telling her husband.

The couple fostered Ella from December 2021 until November 18, 2023, when they officially adopted her.

Drew and Taylor said being Ella’s parents is their greatest joy in the world. They call her their “miracle daughter.”

“It’s incredible that we were able to care for her when she was so small to how she is now, and we are so blessed,” said Drew.

Today, Ella is walking, talking, and continuously meeting milestones as her health improves. Taylor and Drew hope their story inspires other potential parents to foster and adopt children with special medical needs.

To help give this family some quality time together, Jennifer surprised the Deras family with a 6-night stay at Playa del Carmen’s Fairmont Mayakoba resort!

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Jennifer surprised Taylor, Drew and their daughter Ella with a 6-night stay in a Signature Casita Room with an “Appetite for Luxury” meal plan, which includes breakfast, lunch, dinner, and beverages, non-motorized water sports, and one on-property boat tour.

Escape to a world of luxury ensconced amid natural beauty at Playa del Carmen’s Fairmont Mayakoba resort. Located in a private gated community, Fairmont Mayakoba is nestled within tropical rainforest intersected by crystal-clear waterways and fringed by a pristine Caribbean shoreline. Play 18 holes on the prestigious El Camaleon golf course, snorkel beautiful coral reef, or simply bask poolside in the warm Mexican sun. Book your next trip to Fairmont Mayakoba by visiting fairmont.com/mayakoba.

“The Jennifer Hudson Show” airs weekdays. Here’s when to watch in your area.