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MATTHEW HINTON / THE TIMES-PICAYUNE Robert "Boo" Maddox, 7, sits in hospital room in New Orleans Saturday, March 26, 2011 beneath a sign one of his doctor's brought in that says "Blessed & Highly Flavored By God." After 501 days in the hospital including 494 days at New Orleans Children's Hospital, Robert "Boo" Maddox, 7, and his family finally received the news they had been waiting to hear: that he can leave. Boo came to Children's Hospital in critical condition on November 19, 2009. He tested positive for the H1N1 virus and was immediately placed in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU). He suffered through a litany of ailments, including organ failure. Doctors placed him on an Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) machine, which functioned in place of his heart and lungs to give his organs time to heal. After 53 days, he was taken off ECMO, and was able to begin the next stages of his recovery. His parents believe his recovery is miraculous and the doctors state his recovery is statistically rare. Boo entered hospital at age 5 and will be leaving at age 7.

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