Who Is Nash Keen? Meet the Iowa Boy Born at Just 21 Weeks Who Defied the Odds

A little boy from Iowa named Nash Keen has made history after surviving one of the most premature births ever recorded. Born at just 21 weeks of gestation, Nash arrived 133 days before his due date, setting a new Guinness World Record.

A Miracle Baby

Nash was born on July 5, 2024, at the University of Iowa Health Care Stead Family Children’s Hospital. At birth, he weighed only 10 ounces (283 grams) — about the size of a soap bar.

His parents, Mollie and Randall Keen, were overjoyed but terrified. Just two years earlier, they had lost their daughter McKinley, who was born at only 18 weeks. So this pregnancy came with both excitement and fear.

“We didn’t get our hopes up,” Mollie said. “We just wanted to give him a chance.”

Life in the NICU

Doctors and nurses placed Nash in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) right after birth. He stayed there for six months, facing one health challenge after another.

Dr. Amy Stanford, a neonatologist who helped care for Nash, told Guinness that he needed “highly specialized care, constant monitoring, and faced big challenges early on.”

But Nash never gave up.

“He showed incredible strength,” said Dr. Stanford. “After the most delicate weeks, he slowly started improving. It was amazing to watch.”

Going Home at Last

In January 2025, Nash finally went home to Ankeny, Iowa, with his family. He still needed oxygen to breathe and was fed through a feeding tube, but doctors remained hopeful. They believed a small heart issue might fix itself over time.

Though he hadn’t started crawling, Nash could already roll over and show his happy personality.

Big Personality in a Small Body

Randall Keen said Nash is full of energy. “Whenever you call him ‘Nash Potato’ or cheer him on, he gets so happy. He wants to do more. He wants to succeed.”

At his first birthday party, family and close friends gathered to celebrate. Nash received toys, clothes, diapers, and a Guinness World Record certificate.

He beat the previous record holder — a baby born in Alabama in 2020 — by just one day.

A Story of Hope and Strength

Nash’s journey is more than just a record. It’s a story of love, loss, strength, and survival. He proves that even the tiniest babies can make the biggest difference.

“I love waking up to him,” said Mollie. “He’s truly the best thing that could have happened to us.”