With every tick of the clock, Edwin Rodriguez Jr. was inching closer to death. He was born in the wee hours of Sept. 29, 2006, the son of undefeated boxer Edwin Rodriguez Sr., one of the game?s most promising super middleweight prospects, and his then-fiancee, Stephanie Rapa.
Edwin Jr. and his fraternal twin sister, Serena, were born 16 weeks prematurely. They were tiny at birth, only 12 inches long and weighing but a pound and three ounces each. They were so small, they fit in the palm of their father?s hand.
Both had severe respiratory problems, but Edwin Jr.?s issues were worse. He couldn?t breathe without the assistance of a respirator. Four weeks after his birth, doctors believed they?d reached the end of the line.
