This loving nurse adopted a teen mom and her triplets!

When 14-year-old Shariya Small delivered triplets, she was terrified. Her family life wasn’t good—she was on her own. Then she met NICU nurse Katrina Mullen, whose love and support changed all their lives

- Bill Holton

Gazing at new mother Shariya Small, sitting alone in the Indianapolis Community Hospital North’s NICU, Katrina Mullen, RN, sighed sadly. No family support, no one to help her through this—and she’s just a kid! Katrina’s heart went out to the overwhelmed teen.

Shariya had been frightened when, at just 14, she learned she was pregnant, and her terror grew at her first ultrasound, when the doctor announced, “Triplets!” She was still reeling when, on August 20, 2020, at just 26 weeks, Shariya delivered her two girls, Serenitee and Sarayah, and their brother, Samari.

What am I going to do? How can I care for three babies alone? she worried. Shariya’s family life had always been strained. She didn’t expect any help from them.

“You know, I was also a teen mom,” Katrina confided in Shariya.

“Really?” Shariya perked up.

“It was tough,” Katrina admitted, but she promised Shariya, “I made it, and so will you.”

Beyond the call of duty

Several times every shift, Katrina checked on Shariya, and when the babies were strong enough, she taught the new mom how to feed, diaper and cuddle them.

“See? You’ve got this,” Katrina coached Shariya through each milestone, building her self-confidence bit by slow bit.

Still, when after five months in the NICU, the two girls were ready to go home, “I’m so scared,” Shariya sobbed to Katrina.

“You can always call me,” Katrina offered, jotting down her phone number.