Adelina Tamara Deborah Zmysly just couldn’t wait to meet her mom and dad.
She was born on Friday afternoon, a month earlier than expected, and her arrival marked a new chapter in her parents’ amazing love story.
Aimee and Yuriy Zmysly fell in love when they were just kids, really. They stuck together when Yuri, a U.S. Marine corporal, shipped off to war and worse — he suffered a brain injury when a routine surgery went wrong. Aimee quit school to care for Yuriy and dedicated her life to helping him recover.
Aimee’s love and devotion inspired generous strangers to help them get their own house and live independently.
U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) was so touched that he pushed to pass the federal Caregivers and Veterans Omnibus Health Services Act in 2011 that allows family members to get paid for taking care of severely disabled veterans.
All that got them to Friday — the best day of their lives. A day they thought would never come. The day they became a family.
“Everyone was crying. Yuriy was very emotional. They put her on my chest after she was born. They then took her to Yuriy and he got to see her and give her a kiss,” Aimee said Sunday.
“It’s so crazy that seven years ago I didn’t know if Yuriy would survive, and now here we are, parents to a beautiful girl.”
Addie — that’s what they call her — has reddish-blonde hair and slate gray eyes. She was born 6 pounds, 8 ounces and 19 inches long. She’s healthy and beautiful, if her mother does say so herself.
“I think she looks like Yuriy,” Aimee said. “Yuriy is so in love with her, and so am I.”
Aimee says they hope to bring Addie home on Monday.
“I’m looking forward to a happy healthy life,” Aimee said. “To be a family with our little girl and live life to the fullest and … to enjoy the time with our baby because we know she’ll grow up so fast.”
And they just can't wait.
