This Grandpa Has Spent 8 Years Cuddling a Hospital's Tiniest Fighters Every Week

July 20, 2026

Some heroes don't wear scrubs or carry stethoscopes.

Twice a week, 73-year-old Dave Whitlow walks into the neonatal intensive care unit at Children's Hospital of Richmond at VCU with one goal: to comfort some of the hospital's most fragile patients, one cuddle at a time.

Dave Whitlow / WTVR Richmond

For the past eight years, Whitlow has served as a volunteer cuddler, spending his Tuesdays and Thursdays holding premature and critically ill babies while they fight for their lives.

"It's the best gig I've ever had. It just feels right," Whitlow said.

During a typical visit, he cradles five or six infants. On especially busy days, he may hold as many as eight babies, some weighing less than two pounds.

Every visit begins with careful preparation. Whitlow puts on a gown and gloves before entering the NICU, and he leaves his phone outside the unit so nothing distracts him from the tiny lives in his arms.

"I pretty much just want to be with them," he said.

Although his role is built around compassion, Whitlow approaches it with remarkable attention to detail. Before picking up each baby, he checks in with the nurses to understand the child's condition and any special care instructions.

"I ask the nurse, 'Tell me. Tell me what this child is receiving. What kind of treatment? Is there anything special I need to know about it,'" he explained.

Once a baby is resting against his chest, Whitlow keeps a close eye on the monitors.

"I watch the monitors first to see whether positionally there's anything to do to improve," he said. "His sats are at 100%, so that's what we're looking for."

Before retiring, Whitlow spent more than 40 years as a local government manager. He is also the father of two and grandfather of three. Today, he says the NICU has become a place where healing extends far beyond medicine.

"The support and spiritual needs of the family and the staff, and so it all kind of gets tied together here," he said.

Perhaps the sweetest part of his routine comes just before he returns each baby to their bed. Leaning in close, Whitlow quietly shares the same heartfelt wish every time.

"Grow strong, grow smart, grow kind."

Those simple words reflect exactly what he hopes for every child he meets.

"It's important to me to think that this is what I want from people in general," Whitlow said.

What began as a volunteer opportunity has become something much deeper. After eight years of comforting babies during some of the hardest moments of their young lives, Whitlow says the NICU has become a family he never expected to find and one he can't imagine leaving.