Nearly a year after doctors warned that their extremely premature baby faced long odds of survival, a Minnesota family is finally bringing their son home — and his father is giving God the credit.

Baby Adonis was born last October at just 24 weeks and five days gestation, weighing less than 2 pounds. His parents, Jasmin Wellington and Junior Rancy-Quaye, soon found themselves facing an uncertain future as their tiny son fought to survive.

On Friday, after spending nearly his entire first year of life in the hospital, Adonis was discharged from North Memorial Health’s neonatal intensive care unit in Maple Grove, Minnesota. He now weighs 20 pounds.

For Rancy-Quaye, watching his son overcome one challenge after another has been a lesson in faith and trusting God when circumstances are beyond his control.

“It was God’s plan, because we didn’t have no control of anything,” he told CBS Minnesota. “Just have faith, put your trust in God, that’s the only recipe that we’ve got.”

Adonis still needs oxygen support at home, but his doctors are hopeful he will eventually be able to breathe without it as he continues to grow.

His homecoming is especially meaningful to the medical team that cared for him during his most critical days. Nurse Katherine Martinson remembers just how uncertain his future appeared shortly after his birth.

“I remember going home and coming back and saying, ‘I hope and pray he’s still here,'” Martinson recalled. “It’s a miracle that he’s going home.”

The months that followed were anything but easy. Adonis battled MRSA, a potentially serious antibiotic-resistant bacterial infection, as well as pneumonia during his lengthy NICU stay.

For his mother, the emotional toll of watching her son fight through those complications was difficult to put into words.

“It’s been a lot of ups and downs. It’s been a long journey. Definitely a lot of anxiety in the beginning when he had more critical care,” Wellington said. “It’s hard to describe a long NICU journey like this. I really don’t know how I even survived.”

Babies born before 28 weeks are considered extremely preterm and can face significant health complications. Martinson said many babies born as early as Adonis require specialized treatment elsewhere, making his ability to finally go home with his family especially remarkable.

“The fact he’s going home with his family is a huge deal,” she said.

Martinson hopes Adonis’ story will encourage other families facing frightening circumstances after an extremely premature birth.

“I want people to believe in miracles, because he really is, he really is a miracle,” she said. “Miracles do happen.”

She added, “Give babies a chance when they’re born that early; a lot of people don’t realize they can exceed expectations, even when they’re born that early.”

After nearly a year filled with medical setbacks, uncertainty and prayers, Adonis is finally beginning a new chapter at home with his parents.

His journey isn’t over, but his father is approaching whatever comes next the same way the family made it through the past year: by placing his trust in God.