Meet mini-Team USA: Newborns at Missouri hospital get into the Olympic spirit

Updated: 6:20 AM EDT Jul 22, 2021

Saint Luke’s Hospital in Kansas City, Missouri, enjoys celebrating special milestones during the births of its babies, so it was no surprise to see the hospital get in the spirit of the Olympics.Since Friday is the eagerly anticipated Opening Ceremony for the Olympics, Saint Luke’s decided to celebrate in its own special way with its own Mini-Team USA.“Our Saint Luke’s specialty-trained coaches passed the torch to kick-off the Olympic celebration and recognize our newest gold-medal babies,” the hospital said in a news release. Saint Luke’s said nurses helped crochet the gold medals for our newest “athletes,” who participated in a variety of games – swimming, weightlifting, boxing, basketball, gymnastics and tennis. “The crowds (the families) were excited to be a part of the special ceremony and will get to take the handmade outfits home with them to keep,” the hospital said.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. —

Saint Luke’s Hospital in Kansas City, Missouri, enjoys celebrating special milestones during the births of its babies, so it was no surprise to see the hospital get in the spirit of the Olympics.

Since Friday is the eagerly anticipated Opening Ceremony for the Olympics, Saint Luke’s decided to celebrate in its own special way with its own Mini-Team USA.

“Our Saint Luke’s specialty-trained coaches passed the torch to kick-off the Olympic celebration and recognize our newest gold-medal babies,” the hospital said in a news release.

Saint Luke’s said nurses helped crochet the gold medals for our newest “athletes,” who participated in a variety of games – swimming, weightlifting, boxing, basketball, gymnastics and tennis.

“The crowds (the families) were excited to be a part of the special ceremony and will get to take the handmade outfits home with them to keep,” the hospital said.

For two health care workers in Kansas City, fighting the battle against COVID-19 helped them fall in love.

"My plan today is to propose to my girlfriend who is a nurse in the emergency room here," said Michael Senne, a registered nurse at Saint Luke's Hospital. "I am expecting a flawless proposal and for her to say 'yes.'"

Senne got down on one knee on the hospital's rooftop heliport, where he and his girlfriend, registered nurse Sage Smith, watched fireworks together on the Fourth of July.

"I got some flowers for you. We've been dating for a very long time and I've fallen so very much in love with you. Would you do me the honor of marrying me?" Senne asked.

"Yes," Smith said, as coworkers cheered.

Senne said working in health care and dating someone in the field means there's a lot of uncertainty. And then the COVID-19 pandemic hit.

"We were at times afraid to even see each other," Senne said. "COVID definitely gave us more time together, which I think really helped us fall deeper in love with each other."

"I was a little bit more scared for him because he works in the COVID ICU and being exposed longer," Smith said.

Smith said she was actually going to take the day off, but her supervisor, who knew about the surprise, would not let her take it.

The couple hopes to set a date for August or September.