Nearly a year ago, the Coastal Bend braced as Hurricane Harvey intensified.
Meanwhile, a local woman was getting ready to have a baby.
Harvey Rodriguez was born at 7:45 p.m. on Aug. 25, 2017. He arrived only hours before Hurricane Harvey first made landfall.
Irma Rodriguez, Harvey’s mother, recalls feeling back pains that Friday evening, but didn’t think it was anything concerning. Her baby wasn’t due for another month.
However, when the pain worsened, Rodriguez knew it was time to wake up her husband.
“He was already laying down and he was like ‘Are you kidding? Have you seen outside, how it is?’ she said. “I was like ‘I’m sorry!’ I was already crying and I told him ‘I gotta go!'”
Once the couple arrived at Corpus Christi Medical Centers – Doctor’s Regional Hospital, Rodriguez knew it wouldn’t take long for her son to arrive.
But she had a problem. What would she name him?
“One of the nurses before I went into labor (said) ‘Hey it’s a good idea for you to name your baby Harvey,’ she said. “I was thinking about it. And I was like ‘Yeah, I think you’re right, I’m going to name him Harvey.’
“And I did.”
She is grateful to the hospital’s staff for putting aside their personal lives to help her have a safe delivery.
Today, Irma and the hospital staff reminisce about one more connection made with her son’s birth.
Five people in the toddler’s family, including Harvey, have names of storms in 2017’s hurricane season. Others include his mother (Irma), his aunt (Maria), his brother (Jose) and his sister (Lee).
