Baby delivered at Keeseler during Hurricane Isaac

Parents Miriam and Petty Officer 3rd Class Bryan Castrellon, Naval Construction Battalion Center Gulfport, watch their first child Micheal Anthony in the Keesler Hospital’s Family Birthing Center Aug. 30, 2012, the day after his birth, at Keesler Air Force Base, Miss. (U.S. Air Force photo by Steve Pivnick)

Baby delivered at Keesler during Hurricane Isaac

Published Sept. 4, 2012
By Steve Pivnick
81st Medical Group Public Affairs

KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE, Miss. -- It was almost déjà vu.

Keesler Hospital staff delivered a "Hurricane Isaac" baby almost seven years to the day after the birth of a "Hurricane Katrina" baby, although the circumstances were radically different.

Micheal Anthony Castrellon-Guevara was born 9:40 p.m. Aug. 28 during a fairly routine delivery as Hurricane Isaac pounded the Gulf Coast. This contrasted with the Aug. 29, 2005, "Hurricane Katrina" birth at the height of the worst natural disaster to strike the U.S. - a caesarian section conducted without power with the staff using flashlights during the procedure.

Micheal's parents are Miriam and Petty Officer 3rd Class Bryan Castrellon and he is their first child. Bryan is assigned to the Naval Construction Battalion Center Gulfport. In fact, Bryan had to report for duty Aug. 30 to prepare for his third deployment.

Bryan said Micheal wasn't due until Sept. 1 but "the hurricane threw off his timeline." The earlier-than-expected birth didn't seem to affect the baby; he weighed 8 pounds-7 ounces and was 21 inches "tall" and went home Aug. 31. Bryan mentioned that several hospital staff members including the 81st Medical Group commander and several nurses tried unsuccessfully to encourage them to include Isaac as part of his name.

Both parents are from Sun Valley, Calif. He's been in the Navy for four years, three-and-a-half at NCBC Gulfport.