Maryland soldier surprises wife just in time for his son's birth

January 28, 2021January 28, 2021 WKXA

University of Maryland, St. Joseph’s Medical CenterBy HALEY YAMADA and ERIC NOLL, ABC News

(TOWSON, Md.) — When Alanna Hicks went into labor with her third son on Jan.22, she expected no surprises.

She hadn’t prepared for her husband, a soldier in the U.S. Army, to carry out the perfect time-sensitive mission to see her giving birth to their son, Kannon.

Pvt. Tyrell Hicks, who is stationed at Fort Leonard Wood in Missouri, was granted leave from the Army so that he could fly to Maryland and see his wife give birth. When he arrived at the University of Maryland St. Joseph Medical Center, the hospital staff cheered him on.

Hicks was already back on base Thursday night when his wife introduced “World News Tonight” to the newest member of their family.

“Just here introducing you to baby Kannon and to let you guys know that we’ve been overwhelmed with love,” said Alanna Hicks. “The amount of gratitude that I have, to have my husband by my side, it was totally not expected from me.”

Alanna Hicks said she’s grateful to everyone who helped pull off the surprise.

“Shout out to his troops and everyone who has been supporting us,” she said. “We feel loved and honored and it was a perfect way to welcome our new baby boy Kannon into the world.”