Family Weathers Tornado, Welcomes New Member by Night's End

A North Texas family not only weathered Sunday's storm, they added a new member about 30 minutes after an EF-1 tornado touched down in Rowlett.

The contractions came suddenly Sunday afternoon.

Clear beautiful skies were above in Garland.

"Once it [contractions] started to get close it was like: leave home and get to the center," said Mech Metiege.

Metiege and her husband made their way to The Bump Birthing Center in Rowlett where they had planned their baby girl's birth.

But as the hours passed, the weather took a turn.

"Once I started getting ready to push the power went out," she said.

The warnings intensified as the center's owner and midwife Kacie McElhaney tried to keep the mom-to-be calm.

"The alerts were going off and people were calling us 'there's a tornado right on top of you! Are y'all ok?,' she said. "And we were like: 'what?!'"

Midwives, mom and dad headed for the safest place indoors, away from windows.

"We were doing all the things we needed to do to facilitate this birth holding the mom's legs or whatever with one hand while we're trying to watch the radar on the other hand," said McElhaney.

Fortunately, Metiege was in "labor land" and remained calm.

"They were like 'push! Push! Push! Push!' And I was like: 'But can I get in the tub?' They were like: 'No! There's a tornado outside! We have to keep you safe and the baby safe,'" recounted Metiege. "I was like: 'please just two minutes let me have two minutes!'"

So, there in the center's laundry room surrounded by candles and towels, Baby Joy came into the world at 10:04 p.m.

"Joy," said Metiege. "Sekani. Sekani means Joy."

Midwife student Jordyn Zmolik helped deliver the healthy baby girl.

"It was like a breath of fresh air for sure," she said. "Just having baby out and knowing we could protect her and she was safe and mom was safe."

They've now realized, even with all the devastation in and around Rowlett no lives were lost.

Instead, a new life was welcomed.

"New life, yes," said Zmolik with a smile. "It's amazing. It just shows how amazing our God is."

8 pounds, 8 ounces.

Perhaps destined to be her own force of nature one day.

Mom and baby are doing great.

Metiege is even thinking about nicknaming her daughter something storm-related: perhaps Stormy or Rain?