TAMPA, Fla. — Welcome home! After being born 10 weeks premature via surrogate in another state, a set of Tampa Bay twins are finally home.
Tampa Bay area couple Alison Herman and John Waterman welcomed their twins David and Sydney in Utah when they were born prematurely via surrogate. With the coronavirus pandemic, getting home with two fragile newborns was an even bigger challenge.
When they were born, David weighed just 3 pounds while his sister Sydney only weighed 2 pounds. Slowly but surely, they gained weight and continued to be healthy.
However, it was still too big a health risk for the babies during the COVID-19 pandemic to travel from Utah to Florida by car or a commercial flight.
Thankfully, Jet ICU, an air ambulance company that just happens to operate out of a Tampa-based hanger, stepped in to help the family. Normally, a flight like this would cost at least $40,000. For this family? All expenses covered.
The family touched down at the Tampa International Airport on Thursday, July 23. That just so happened to be the twins' exact due date, their father John told the airport.
“Today is actually the day they were supposed to be delivered, and they are," John Waterman said. "They’re delivered home.”
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