JET ICU to fly premature twins home to St. Petersburg from Utah

ST. PETERSUBRG, Fla. - A St. Petersburg couple is on a mission to get their newborn twins home.

The babies, David and Sydney, were carried by a surrogate mother in Utah and were born prematurely, 10 weeks before their due date. Their biological parents, Allison and John watched the birth via Facetime from their home in St. Pete, more than 2,000 miles away.

They had plans to fly the babies home, but a commercial flight could put their health at risk. Allison and John considered driving, but with both babies on oxygen, a four-day trip does not seem feasible.

The only other option would be a private flight, but they feared the cost puts that out of their reach.

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"Eight weeks ago, you weren't a parent. Now you are a parent. Now you're feeling like you're not a good parent because you can't do the most basic thing that a parent could do which would be to hold their child," John told FOX 13 News.

John and Allison visited the twins in the NICU a week after they were born and then again on Father’s Day.

"The first week or two was very cautious and rough. They were on oxygen, respirator, CPAP and light machines,” Allison explained.

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A third trip isn't in the cards unless they are able to return with their children.

The original plan was to fly the babies home in August, which was their original due date, but COVID-19 paired with being preemies makes that commercial flight too high-risk.

On July 11, Allison and John told FOX 13 that an air ambulance company, Jet ICU, based in Brooksville offered to fly the babies home once they are out of the NICU.

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