Marine in Africa watches daughter's birth in Morristown
It was a very good Friday for West Milford native Eric Rodriguez, a Marine stationed in Africa, who was able to welcome his baby daughter into the world with help from Morristown Memorial Hospital and the Internet.
Using a mobile computer terminal equipped with the video-teleconferencing program, Skype, and a webcam, Eric and his wife, Amy, were able to see and interact with one another before and during the delivery. The computer cart allowed Eric to witness the birth of his daughter, Olivia Rose, who, at 8 pounds, 12 ounces, was delivered at 3:51 p.m. (10:51 p.m. in Djibouti, Africa).
The couple, who met in high school in West Milford, live in Jacksonville, N.C., where Eric Rodriguez is normally stationed. A Marine transport helicopter pilot, Eric Rodriguez had returned from a deployment in time for the birth of their first child, a boy, two years ago. This time, his deployment occurred in January, and he is scheduled to be in Djibouti, Africa, until August.
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Amy Rodriguez, a per diem nurse at Goryeb Children’s Hospital, returned to West Milford to stay with family during the deployment. Having heard that the hospital had used Skype in September to allow an airman stationed in Afghanistan to experience the birth of his daughter, she inquired whether the same program could be used for her daughter’s birth.