Phoenix Dillard spent more than two months in Mission Hospital's neonatal intensive care unit after being born nearly three months premature as Tropical Storm Helene struck Western North Carolina on Sept. 27, 2024.

Phoenix Dillard spent over two months in the neonatal intensive care unit at Mission Hospital. This medical care followed the infant's birth, which occurred nearly three months premature on September 27, 2024. This event coincided with Tropical Storm Helene striking Western North Carolina. The child required extensive specialized care within the hospital facility to recover from the premature birth while the region faced the impact of the severe tropical storm during that specific timeframe.