The parents of a teeny newborn Lebanon girl have been overwhelmed by the kindness of complete strangers.

"People from all over have been sending prayer letters," Jeramie Griffin, father of little Lexi, said. "Some people helped fix my car n people I didn't even know. They didn't leave any information. Somebody helped pay the power bill."

Lexi arrived nearly three months early on Jan. 19. Her mom, Megan Garrison, was rushed to the Lebanon

hospital for an emergency C-section when it became clear that the baby was under stress with a low heart beat.

The two-pound Lexi was unable to breathe on her own and was on her way by ambulance to the neo intensive care unit at Eugene's Sacred Heart Hospital before her dad could get to Garrison's side after surgery, and Garrison never got a chance to even take a look at her baby.

Three days later, as soon as she was able to walk, Garrison convinced the Lebanon doctors to release her early so she could drive to Eugene to be with Lexi.

Griffin drove back and forth from Lebanon and Eugene to be with his wife and his new daughter. He was the first to cradle the infant.

"I got to hold her n that was really nice," he said. "She's as big as the palm of my hand with her tiny, tiny feet hanging down."

Thanks to the efforts of the medical staffs at both hospitals, Lexi is doing well. Her weight has had its ups and downs, but by now she's over her original birth rate.

She should be released in another six to nine weeks, Griffin said. Garrison is able to be with Lexi night and day, and Griffin spends as much time there as he can as well.

He drives back to Lebanon every day to pick up one of the couple's other four children, 7-year-old Reese, when she gets out of school here. Both of them return to Eugene right away to see Garrison and Reese's little sister. The other three children are staying with relatives until the family can be reunited.

While Lexi's birth was a blessing to the family, Griffin said the hospital and medical bills are a huge burden to the already-overtaxed family.

Griffth, a concrete finisher for the past several years, was laid off two weeks before Lexi was born. His vehicle was undrivable, and he couldn't afford to pay to get it repaired until

an unknown benefactor stepped up to pay the bill. The family has no health insurance, although Griffin added that he is trying to get them on the Oregon Health Plan.

When Griffin's sister, Heather Griffin, arrived from California to be with her brother, she decided to take some action. She put letters to the editor in local papers, asking for community support. Her brother has been overwhelmed with the response. They've received baby items, prayers, and letters of support.

"It's just been a real blessing. Thanks for everybody that helped," Griffin said. "All of it has been appreciated."