x
Breaking News
More () »

Irma evacuee baby born at UT Medical Center

When this Florida family heard that Hurricane Irma was heading toward the Sunshine State, their doctor advised them to leave before the storm. 

A Hurricane Irma evacuee had to give birth at University of Tennessee Medical Center Sunday after leaving Florida more than a week ago.

Gina and Chad Farmer are now the parents of a healthy baby boy named Addison Knox Farmer.

"We initially were going to name him Addison Ryan Farmer," Gina said, "but we decided on a little switch up so his name now is Addison Knox Farmer."

The family is living in Delray Beach, Florida, which is about 50 miles north of Miami. When the family heard that Hurricane Irma was heading toward the Sunshine State, their doctor advised them to leave before the storm.

"When we heard that Hurricane Irma was going to hit Florida, I started to panic," Gina said.

The family began heading north, first stopping in Florida Gator country.

"First we went to Gainesville, and the Gainesville Gators kicked us out," Chad said. "No room in the inn, and the Volunteers took us in."

The family had to continue traveling north as there was no room available in Gainesville for Gina to give birth. As they headed into Georgia, Gina started going into what she thought was labor so they stopped at a hospital in Macon.

"We were having contractions every seven minutes for hours in the car," Gina said.

The hospital gave Gina some fluids and advised her to stop in Atlanta, but the couple continue on until they arrived at UTMC in Knoxville.

Gina's contractions finally stopped when she got to UTMC, and she scheduled a C-section birth for about a week-and-a-half later, as she had planned to do at home in Florida.

"I'm very much so a worrywart, my anxiety was very high," Gina said, "but it ended up being a blessing."

Gina and Chad are staying with family in the Knoxville area, and they said that has helped to calm their nerves about the birth and has really been what they needed the whole time.

"It's funny, we didn't even come with a stroller. We came with nothing," Gina said. "We just grabbed our kids, dogs, got in the car, and I said it doesn't matter, nothing matters ... It makes you realize what really matters."

The Farmers will return to Florida in a few days with their new son. Chad said their yard is a little messed up, but their home did not have any structural damage from the storm.

They say they are just thankful for the time spent with family, and the beginning of Addison Knox Farmer's life on Rocky Top.

"I think he's going to be a hurricane, that 's what I think," Gina said.

"Maybe a meteorologist," Chad added.

Before You Leave, Check This Out