A Texas mother is sharing the extraordinary story of how her premature daughter survived a terrifying medical ordeal—thanks, in part, to fish skin.

In April 2022, Krystal DeVos welcomed her daughter, Eliana, into the world at just 23 weeks of gestation. Weighing only one pound, the fragile newborn faced an uphill battle in the NICU, where she remained for 131 days.

During her stay, Eliana developed a severe wound on her neck caused by a life-threatening bacterial infection. “It sounds scary, but it was almost like a flesh-eating disease,” DeVos told CNN. “Her body was targeting something there in her neck.”

The infection progressed rapidly, and Eliana went into sepsis—a critical condition that caused some of her organs to begin shutting down.

Doctors raced to save her, turning to an innovative treatment that combined a medical-grade honey solution with fish skin harvested from wild North Atlantic cod. Rich in omega oils and natural healing properties, the fish skin acted like a biological bandage, promoting tissue regeneration and sealing the wound.

Miraculously, the treatment worked.

Today, Eliana is a healthy, joyful 3-year-old. Her mother affectionately calls her “my little mermaid”—a nod to the ocean-born remedy that helped heal her baby when all hope seemed lost.

“I’m forever grateful for modern medicine and the incredible care she received,” DeVos says. “She’s our miracle.”

A Texas mother is opening up about her daughter’s incredible recovery after doctors used fish skin to heal a life-threatening wound—transforming a terrifying ordeal into a tale of survival and hope.

In April 2022, Krystal DeVos gave birth to her daughter, Eliana, at just 23 weeks. Weighing only one pound, the premature baby spent 131 days in the NICU, fighting for her life. About halfway through her stay, Eliana developed a serious wound on her neck caused by a bacterial infection that led to sepsis, a critical condition that began shutting down her organs.

“It was almost like a flesh-eating disease,” DeVos recalled. “Her tiny body was under attack.”

After 86 days, Eliana was transferred to Driscoll Children’s Hospital in Corpus Christi, where a team of specialists began exploring every possible treatment. That’s when Dr. Vanessa Dimas, a pediatric plastic surgeon, suggested something unconventional: fish skin.

Dr. Dimas explained that the wound was too extensive and Eliana too fragile for surgery or a skin graft. “She was so premature and very sick—I didn’t think it was safe to operate,” she said.

Instead, she turned to a groundbreaking combination: a medical-grade honey solution to clean the wound, followed by a sterile patch made from wild North Atlantic cod skin. Packed with omega oils and natural compounds, the fish skin is biologically similar to human skin and helps stimulate healing.

“It’s so close to human skin at the microscopic level that it kick-starts the healing process,” Dimas explained. “And once it does its job, it just melts away.”

The results were almost immediate. Within three days, Eliana’s wound showed “dramatic improvement,” and within 10 days, it was nearly fully healed—with minimal scarring.

Today, Eliana is a vibrant, energetic 3-year-old with only a faint mark where the wound once was. Her mother, overwhelmed with gratitude, calls her “my little mermaid.”

“Eliana actually has no idea,” DeVos said of the fish skin miracle. “But one day, we’ll show her the pictures and tell her the story—because it’s part of who she is.”

Watching her daughter grow, laugh, and play with her Ariel doll brings DeVos to tears. “She’s a fighter, a miracle—and she’s ours.”

Now, DeVos is sharing Eliana’s remarkable journey to raise awareness about the healing potential of fish skin and the importance of keeping an open mind when it comes to medical innovation.

“I hope people walk away from our story with a sense of gratitude—for both modern medicine and the power of faith,” she said.

Her message to other families facing the unknown: don’t be afraid to try something unconventional.

“Be open-minded. Even if a treatment sounds strange or unfamiliar, have a little faith,” DeVos encouraged. “In our case, it sounded unusual—but it saved our daughter’s life. And I’m so glad we took that chance.”