A Growing Family, Political Unrest, and a Joyful Reunion: Redeemer Health's Mission in Action

The reunion erupted into laughter when our NICU nurses handed five-year-old twins Rachel and Rosemary a tiny diaper and said, “You two wore these when you were babies in this hospital,” and Rachel replied, “Are you serious?” The girls shrugged it off and continued their dance party with Holy Redeemer Hospital’s EVP and Chief Administrative Officer, Cass Egan.

The twins’ parents are Dr. Peter and Ruth Pierrot, who have lived through the political and social deterioration of their homeland, Haiti. Dr. Pierrot is a primary care physician who was befriended by Redeemer Health’s former Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Tony Coletta, when they worked together during a medical mission in Haiti. Putting their heads together back in 2017, they knew they had to get Ruth to America to deliver their twins since maternity care in Haiti would likely not have been able to handle a high-risk multiple birth.

The doctors got Ruth to Holy Redeemer Hospital in time to deliver their dramatically premature daughters. The Pierrot family had suddenly grown, not just by two tiny babies, but by a whole roster of NICU nurses, neonatologists, hospital administrators, and Sisters of the Redeemer. With the girls needing NICU care for three months, Peter and Ruth took up residence here.

“This is the kind of story that best reflects Redeemer Health’s devotion to its mission to care, comfort and heal,” said CEO Mike Laign. “There was never a doubt that this system would respond with great spirit when Dr. Coletta presented us with a challenge to help this young family. To see these girls growing up now is a tangible example of our commitment.”

The Pierrot family’s security grew fragile when they returned to a Haiti that no longer provided them with a safe home. Ruth and the twins fled to New York City to stay with family while Peter stayed behind to care for patients. He didn’t know that staying behind would result in a two-year separation from his family because of a conflict with his visa. Peter and Ruth resorted to Facetime since he could only watch the girls grow from afar. 

“Some of the Facetime conversations were them asking me questions like, ‘What’s in your refrigerator?’” Peter reflected. “But then when they got older, the questions were more like, ‘When are you coming home?’ Those were the questions I couldn’t answer.”

But finally, in January 2023, immigration rules in the United States changed just enough for Peter to finally rejoin his family. He and Ruth had a private reunion at JFK Airport. “It was the best feeling ever,” he said.

It wasn’t more than a couple weeks later that Peter and Ruth asked Dr. Coletta if he could organize a reunion with their extended family at Redeemer Health. The day was marked with lots of hugs and stories, and many health system leaders with teary eyes watching Rachel and Rosemary dance.

“Why are you wearing a necklace to work?” Rosemary asked Chief Nursing Officer, Anne Catino. Anne replied, “Because it makes me feel good.” Watching the two children during the day’s reunion, made everyone feel good…a true example of Redeemer Health’s mission.