Smith is a pediatric nurse and first crossed paths with her daughter in 2016 when she was being treated at the hospital where Smith works.
[Ads /]
Her 2-year-old daughter Gisele was born premature to a mother who used drugs and struggled with health issues. She weighed less than 2 pounds.
The child had no visitors at the hospital for several months.
The state had been discussing putting the child in foster care and Smith stepped forward, saying she would care for Gisele. The baby went to live with the nurse in April 2017.
[Ads /]
After the state terminated the parental rights of Gisele's biological parents, Smith formally adopted her last October.
Smith says Gisele's health is stable and continues to improve.
"She is thriving. She has a feeding tube where she still gets the majority of her nutrition through, but other than that, the specialist thinks she is just remarkable," Smith said. "They can't believe the strides she has made and how healthy and strong she is. Her resilience is inspiring to me and every day I'm amazed by her."