Baby Bentley is home and sleeping in his own crib

The Sault's miracle baby has left the hospital and spent his first night at home in his own bed last night.

Baby Bentley, son of Alyssa Plamenco and Brenden Wylie, was born on February 6 with a condition called Gastroschisis, (his intestines developed outside his body), and required a post-birth surgery.

Doctors expected him to have to stay in hospital in Toronto as much as eight weeks after his surgery on February 14 but he surprised everyone with the speed of his recovery.

Bently, his mom and his grandma were back in the Sault for him to continue his recovery at the Sault Area Hospital on Monday, March 4.

Yesterday, just seven days later, he was released from hospital and arrived at his home for the first time about 4:30 p.m. 

"It was amazing to finally have him home," said his mom, Alyssa Plamenco. "To have my little family finally together felt unbelievable."

Even though Plamenco had the support of her mom, Christina LaPossie, and the local Helping Hands group the time in Toronto was very trying.

"Being in Toronto was overwhelming. My days started to feel like weeks," Plamenco told SooToday.com. "Before Bentley got a private room I would visit him twice a day for at least four hours each time. It was very hard for me to see him going through so much. But at the same time I was so proud of his progress."

Coming home was a joy for many reasons, not the least of which was that it gave Bentley's dad, Brenden Wylie more time to spend with his son. 

Wylie was able to spend a lot of time in Toronto with his family.

"Brenden and I love being parents. We are in absolute awe at what an amazing baby Bentley is," Plamenco said. "For a baby who has gone through so much, he is so happy and content."

She said Bentley seems to be settling in well and is sleeping and eating a lot.

"I think he might be going through a growth spurt right now," she said. "Last night he was hungry every hour and a half. I've had people suggest giving him more to eat at each feeding, but I let him eat until he doesn't want anymore. So I think he's just growing."

"Our dogs love him. Every time he makes a noise or cries they are right there making sure he's okay," she said.

The Helping Hands group, led by Kelly Turner, has so far raised $7,321 for all of the people its helping.

$1,783 of that went to baby Bentley's family to help pay for their stay at Ronald McDonald House in Toronto while he was in hospital there and to bring grandma LaPossie home on the bus, among other things.

"I just want to thank everyone who has followed his journey," said Plamenco. "It warms my familys heart to see how many people care about him without even knowing him. We truly appriciate every kind word, every prayer, and every donation."

Baby Bentley will be making a short guest appearance at a vendor's show at the Oddfellows Hall on March 30, says Turner, who was among the first visitors from outside the family to see Bentley when he came to the Sault Area Hospital last week.

She was moved to tears by the experience of finally getting to see this baby who has inspired so much love and support from his home community of Sault Ste. Marie.