When Emma the pig arrived at Apricot Lane Farm in California, she was dangerously sick, weak, and heavily pregnant. Veterinarians warned the owner, Chester, that she might deliver only six piglets. But the night she went into labor, Emma surprised everyone by giving birth to 17 piglets, 13 of which survived.

The long, difficult labor drained her, and Emma grew weaker. Her fever spiked, and Chester removed the piglets in hopes of saving them. Attempts to bottle-feed them failed, and Emma’s condition continued to decline.

Then Chester reunited her with her piglets—and a miracle happened. Emma immediately began to recover. Slowly, she stood and ate again. Chester said it best: her calling as a mother is what ultimately saved her.