Twins are born to two families for Thanksgiving holiday
Gilroy – Two families have twice as much to be thankful for this Thanksgiving holiday.
Within a 12-hour period, Dr. Diane Sanchez delivered two sets of twins at Saint Louise Regional Hospital. The first to give birth was a San Juan Bautista woman at 5:36am Monday; the second a Morgan Hill woman at 5:20pm the same day.
“They are my Thanksgiving gift,” said San Juan Bautista resident Rosa Lara, 28, while holding her twin sons Eduardo and Adrian, one on each arm.
After nine years, Lara and her husband Natanael Manriquez didn’t plan on twins. It just happened that way. Lara said that it runs in her father’s family.
“We only planned for one, but God gave us two,” she said.
While Lara’s babies slept, in the next room Christina Iboa, 28, held her babies a boy and a girl, with her husband Oscar Zuniga, 28. The couple had yet to decide on names for their newborn babies.
“I hope they grow up to be good leaders in the community,” said Zuniga, beaming proudly. Iboa was physically tired, but wore a huge smile.
In one day, they went from three children to five. Their eldest is 9.
“They will be the diaper changing crew,” said Zuniga while holding his newborn baby girl.
Lara was the first Gardner Family Health Center patient to deliver a baby at Saint Louise. The Gardner center recently opened in downtown Gilroy after years of operation at Sixth and Princevalle streets. Gardner is considered a “safety net” health care provider, serving the low-income, Hispanic population.
Gardner patients used to have to travel to Valley Medical center in San Jose to give birth.
“Now Dr. Sanchez is here, and she could see them for prenatal care, and deliver them at Saint Louise Regional Hospital,” said Vivian Smith, vice president of public relations of the hospital.
“It was big news,” said Dr. Sanchez. “They were both born vaginally, it was so beautiful for them.”
The two families now share a similar fate.
“I will be changing diapers this thanksgiving,” said Iboa.
Betsy Avelar attends Gavilan College and is an intern for the South Valley Newspapers. Reach her at (408) 847-7216 or ba*****@************ch.com.
