Baby girl born during Hurricane Helene

A stork managed to fly through Hurricane Helene‘s strong winds. Baby Addison Grace Hayes was born during the storm’s peak at Health Park Medical Center in Lee County.

Flipping through Addison Grace Hayes’ baby book, her birthday page says it all:
‘The weather was… Hurricane Helene.’

Expect the unexpected is a golden rule of parenting. Kaitlyn Hayes and David Hayes were quickly introduced to this rule after their daughter, Addison, now one week old, was born on Sep. 27 during the height of Hurricane Helene.

“From our window, we could see the wind and the trees just almost tilting sideways,” said Kaitlyn Hayes. “It was pretty scary, especially through the night. That was when my water broke.”

From the third floor of Healthpark Medical Center, the first time parents watched the storm unfold.

“We had alerts going off on our phones for [a] tornado watch. We’re trying to chill and relax like, ‘Hey, we’re bringing our baby into this world,’ but also, what is the state of our home? What is the state of our families’ homes? And the people we love and care about,” said Kaitlyn Hayes.

While the road to get there wasn’t easy, Addison and her mother came out healthy,
resting soundly in her parent’s arms. The Hayes’ found their ‘perfect’ in this storm.

“If you haven’t experienced it yet, you just don’t know what you’re in for,” said David Hayes. “And then when she pops out looking like this, it’s hard not to just fall in love.”