A Florida couple's newborn son made quite the bang when he arrived a week early on the Fourth of July while his parents were celebrating the holiday on a boat.
Amber and John Easterday were just a half-hour into their boat ride on Saturday when the third time mom-to-be went into labor a week early, ABC affiliate WFTS reports.
"I started feeling the contractions," Amber, 34, recalled to the outlet. "They started pretty fast."
Realizing he had to get his wife back to shore quickly, John started rushing towards the nearest beach — all while attempting to stay calm for Amber, and navigating the waters amid a rainstorm that had just begun.
"There was a lot going on," John shared with WFTS. "I'm like, 'Okay, I've got my wife going into labor, too many contractions, I've gotta get through this storm, gotta get back to the dock.' "
Just after 5 p.m. local time, the Clearwater Fire and Rescue Department said that they had received a 911 call from John, indicating that his wife was having contractions and about to give birth on their pontoon boat.
"On the waters of Old Tampa Bay, he was trying to make it to shore as fast as he could," the fire department wrote on Facebook. "The area on the west end of the Courtney Campbell was the closest place, and in a few minutes, he was pulling his boat up to the crowded beach."
As he was on the phone, John recalled telling the 911 operator that they would need help from medics as soon as they arrived at the beach because their son was eager to come out.
"I started seeing his head," he explained to WFTS. "I told them, 'Here comes the head! You guys have to get down here!' "
Luckily, fire medics Kenny Sweitzer and Tyler Whitfield were there and ready to go by the time John pulled up at 5:33 p.m.
The two medics immediately hopped onto the boat to assist Amber with the delivery, and just four minutes later, John and Amber's newborn son Aiden made his grand arrival.
"I got to cut the cord on the boat," John told WFTS. "It was awesome."
Amber and Aiden were then taken to Mease Countryside Hospital, according to the Clearwater Fire and Rescue Department.
The fire department later shared a photo of the happy parents with their third son on their Facebook, confirming that "Mom and Aiden are both doing well."
"Aiden is the third son born to the couple — the others are ages 5 and 8 and both were born in the more typical hospital environment, not on a boat," they joked. "We are so glad Fire Medic Sweitzer and Fire Medic Whitfield were able to be there for the family during its time of need."
While her Fourth of July turned out to be full of unexpected excitement, Amber said she would prefer not to go through that experience again.
"I didn't think the baby would come that fast. If you want to start labor early, just go on a boat," she told WFTS. "But I still wouldn't do it again."