Denver Parents Balance Joy, Tragedy Of Sept. 11
Mother Rushed To Hospital As Twin Towers Fell
Story by thedenverchannel.com
DENVER -- One Denver couple wasn't able to fully focus on the tragic events of last Sept. 11.
Instead, they were focused on the birth and health of their twin babies who decided to come into the world well before their due date.
For Mike and Wendy Barry, the last year has been a blur full of round-the-clock feedings, spit-ups and diaper changings.
"Their original due date was Dec 7, which is Pearl Harbor Day, so they were destined to be born on a day that nobody will forget," Mike Barry said.
On the morning of Sept. 11th, Wendy was 27 weeks pregnant, in the hospital with complications and not at all prepared for what came next:
"I could see the towers blowing up and at the same time my water broke and it just started a whole sequence of events for us," Wendy Barry said.
"I just remember doctors, nurses, putting on their masks and talking about the twin towers and the planes, and I just kind of remember, 'Oh yeah, that's going on too,'" Mike said.
That evening, their own emergency unfolded -- an emergency c-section. John was born, weighing 2 pounds 7 ounces. Emma weighed 2 pounds 2 ounces.
They were two tiny babies who brought such personal joy on such a nationally tragic day.
"Right now, it's unfortunate when you tell people when they were born, they apologize to you. They say, 'Im so sorry, how tragic,'" Mike said. "Well, it's really not like that."
"I feel very sad for those people who lost a loved one and I feel an amazing amount of gratitude for what we received on Sept. 11," Wendy said.
John and Emma were born at Presbyterian St. Luke's and had to spend two months in intensive care. They are now doing quite well.
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