Gwinnett County 'miracle baby' celebrates 2nd birthday

GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga. - A metro Atlanta family has a number of reasons to feel thankful this 4th of July. 

Derek Tuthill said his 2-year-old daughter, Ava Grace, has come a long way.

Tuhill said two years ago his wife experienced a number of complications throughout her pregnancy and ended up having an emergency c-section just before the Independence Day holiday. 

Ava was born on June 29 at Gwinnett Medical Center, weighing just one pound and seven ounces. Her original due date was October 4, but she arrived 14 weeks early. 

Last week she turned 2-years-old.

"She is our miracle baby and she quickly earned the nickname Little Giant," Tuthill told FOX 5. "Although she was a micro-preemie and statistically faced great odds, she overcame many obstacles."

Tuthill said his daughter spent her first 87 days in the NICU; however, she has done better than most of her doctors expected and continues to grow stronger. 

"She has changed our lives forever as well as many of our family and friends who have been her prayer warriors since the beginning!"