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Lila Hayes

Lila Marie Hayes was the daughter of Patricia “Pattie” Matsuda and Evan Hayes. She was born by emergency cesarean section at thirty-one weeks on October 28, 1998, after Pattie developed severe preeclampsia and pulmonary edema. Lila weighed three pounds, one ounce and remained in the neonatal intensive care unit until early December.

Early Life and Background

Main article: Patricia Matsuda and Evan Hayes

Pattie and Evan conceived Lila in spring 1998, after an encounter at a party at Jeremy Wallace’s house, when both were fifteen. The pregnancy was unplanned, and both teenagers chose to raise her with support from the Matsuda family, Evan’s father, Tommy Hayes, and Pattie’s friends. Pattie first felt Lila kick at about eighteen weeks. Feeling her move made Lila real to Pattie in a way the frightening early pregnancy had not; she began talking to her daughter and could no longer imagine a life without her.

Around mid-October, when Pattie was twenty-nine weeks pregnant, her friends Morgan, Tracy, and Cassidy Harris took her shopping and talked about the baby as their niece. At a Bath and Body Works store, they bought Pattie a Vanilla Bean body lotion she liked, among other gifts. On October 24, four days before the birth, Pattie attended a Backstreet Boys concert with Clarissa Smalls, where Lila kicked throughout the performance.

Birth and NICU Stay

Main article: Lila Hayes Birth and NICU Stay (October 1998) - Event

Pattie’s preeclampsia worsened rapidly at thirty-one weeks. Respiratory distress and pulmonary edema led the medical team to perform an emergency cesarean section under general anesthesia at 8:47 p.m. on October 28. Pattie was fifteen, six days short of her sixteenth birthday; Evan was sixteen.

Lila weighed three pounds, one ounce and cried loudly after delivery. Her powerful cry surprised the NICU nurses, who continued to remark on it during her stay. She did not require invasive ventilation. Evan met her in the NICU at 9:23 p.m., before Pattie regained consciousness, and gave staff the full name he and Pattie had chosen. At 10:34 a.m. the next morning, Pattie heard Lila protesting a diaper change before she reached the isolette. When the nurses placed Lila against her bare chest, Lila stopped crying and settled beneath her chin.

Lila remained in the NICU through early December 1998 for feeding, temperature, growth, and medical monitoring. By Pattie’s sixteenth birthday on November 3, she weighed three pounds, four ounces. She also calmed in response to Evan’s voice. On November 1, Pattie stopped pumping and began giving Lila formula through her temporary feeding tube; Lila tolerated the transition easily. After discharge, Lila alternated between the Matsuda and Hayes households and experienced substantial colic. The long, difficult crying periods exhausted both of her young parents, who continued caring for her with family support.

Cultural Identity and Heritage

Lila was of Japanese American and white ancestry. Her Japanese American heritage came through her maternal grandfather, Greg Matsuda, while her maternal grandmother, Ellen Matsuda, and the Hayes side of her family were white.

Health and Disabilities

Lila was born very preterm at thirty-one weeks and at a very low birth weight of three pounds, one ounce. Her prematurity followed maternal preeclampsia and pulmonary edema; Pattie’s earlier hyperemesis gravidarum was a separate pregnancy complication and was not the reason for the emergency delivery. Lila remained hospitalized until early December and later experienced colic during early infancy.

Family and Core Relationships

Patricia “Pattie” Matsuda

Main article: Patricia Matsuda and Lila Hayes

Pattie was unconscious during Lila’s delivery and met her after she had stabilized. Lila calmed during skin-to-skin contact with her. Pattie remained involved throughout the NICU stay and cared for Lila after discharge as Lila alternated between the Matsuda and Hayes households.

Evan Hayes

Main article: Evan Hayes and Lila Hayes

Evan accepted parenthood when Pattie disclosed the pregnancy. He met Lila in the NICU before Pattie regained consciousness, named her for the staff, and shared her care throughout the hospitalization and across both households after discharge.

Extended Family

The Matsuda family and Tommy Hayes provided practical and emotional support during the pregnancy, NICU stay, and early infancy. Lila’s maternal aunt Susie Matsuda encouraged Pattie during the pregnancy, her uncle Cody Matsuda advocated for Pattie, and her younger uncle Joey Matsuda looked forward to meeting her. Pattie’s friends Morgan, Tracy, and Cassidy Harris were already calling themselves Lila’s aunties before her birth; they were among the friends receiving updates while Pattie and Lila were in the hospital. Evan permanently excluded Deborah Hayes from Lila’s life after Deborah attacked Pattie, questioned Lila’s paternity, and refused to respect the family Evan and Pattie were building. Deborah never met or spoke to Lila.

Characters Supporting Characters Living Characters Mixed Race Characters Mixed Heritage Characters Japanese-American Characters White Characters Hayes Family Matsuda Family