VIDEO: A touching reunion last weekend in Conway brought a three-year-oldโs life full circle. Graysonโs first memory, at least the first people in his life know of, was at the Conway Fire Department on Feb. 8, 2022. The Safe Haven Baby Box, just seven months after it was installed, gave Graysonโs birth mom a safe, legal, and anonymous way to surrender her newborn. Three years later, little Grayson returned. Far from helpless, he explored the ins and outs of the Conway Fire Department (CFD), guided by firefighters who first met him when the baby box alarm sounded.
โNormal night until it wasnโt,โ remembered CFD Engineer Kenny Hartness. Adjacent to the firefightersโ living quarters, the Safe Haven Baby Box alarm sounds when a mother places a newborn inside the temperature-controlled space. Infants, like Grayson, are then taken to the hospital and surrendered to the Department of Human Services. โI would put us in a lot of situations, and we handle it pretty well, but this one, it was emotional, how hard to let him go once we got him,โ Hartness said.
It wasnโt long after Kelli and Britton, unable to have children of their own, let Grayson into their lives. They have never kept Graysonโs origins a secret from him. The family is not sharing their last name out of privacy. Graysonโs family had returned to the fire department weeks after his birth for a newborn shoot, but Sunday, June 22, was the first time since. On Wednesday, they returned for an interview about the experience. โWeโve always been open with him (Grayson), but last Sunday he was asking questions about the box, and he said, โCan I go see the box?, and of course we were like absolutely,โ Britton stated. Grayson was the 15th infant nationwide surrendered at a Safe Haven Baby Box, but as of Wednesday, that number has quadrupled to 60. There are 26 Safe Haven Baby Boxes across Arkansas at fire stations, hospitals, and police stations. The first box was placed in November of 2017, and as of this report, there are 349 Safe Haven Baby Boxes placed across more than 20 states. Another box is being blessed on Wednesday, four more on Thursday, and two more on Friday. Kelli and Britton said they chose to interview to shine a light on the motherโs sacrifice that remains a blessing to this day. โShe did such a selfless act that we just want him (Grayson) to understand that he was loved,โ Britton said.
Captain Randel Green drove Grayson to the hospital years ago. On Wednesday, he was with Grayson when the boy showed interest in each of the firefightersโ vehicles and tools. โThe box is here for anyone. No shame, no names, no worries. Just safety, dignity, and a second chance, and to us that means the world,โ Green said. According to Kelli, her son is already saying he wants to be a firefighter when he grows up. When Hartness heard that, he smiled. โBest job in the world. Cโmon. Got about 15 more years. Weโll take him,โ he concluded.
