Oakland boy visits fire house where he was born for his 6th birthday
OAKLAND, Calif. - A little boy in Oakland celebrated his birthday by visiting the fire station where firefighters helped his mom in labor.
Six years ago, the crew at Oakland Fire Station 20 delivered a baby boy at their firehouse. It was the evening of August 8th, 2018, and Olga Villa was eight months pregnant when her water suddenly broke. She went to the closest place she could think of to get help, which happened to be Station 20 in East Oakland.
While a fire station is an unlikely place to give birth, baby Abraham was coming, ready or not.
Oakland firefighters at Station 20 welcomed him back to celebrate his 6th birthday.
"We were not going to make it to the hospital anyway, so this was basically the only place we could stop and get some help," said Fernando Villa, Abraham’s father, as he recalled that day.
His wife, Olga, started going into labor early, and a few minutes later, delivered Abraham as a premature baby.
"He was born in my hands," Fernando said. "I cut the umbilical cord inside the car."
After a successful birth, the family was taken to the hospital.
Now, Abraham’s a healthy boy.
"It was a great day because everyone said happy birthday to me," Abraham said wearing his own fire helmet.
His birth was noted in the station log, a special book which keeps track of every call for the firehouse. The family was able to look back and take in the memories.
"It’s a wonderful experience because it brings back memories of that day," said Fernando.
"It’s so cool and I love all of the cars and some of the working out stuff," said Abraham.
The firefighters there on Thursday were a different group from the crew that day back in 2018, but they still gave him a warm welcome.
"He was so excited to be in a fire station for the, well, second time in his life. I mean, the first time I don’t think he remembers even though he says he remembers," said Firefighter Maria Barairo.
Abraham got a tour of the fire house and a sit inside the trucks.
"He wanted to sit in all the seats, he sat in the front seat in the back seat, he sat in the bucket," Barairo said.
Firefighters gave him a gift bag with badges and stickers, and a few hugs for the road.
Abraham said he thinks about becoming either a firefighter or a police officer when he grows up.
Either way, the crew at Station 20 said he’s welcome back anytime.
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