Four babies have the honor of being the first of the year from their respective Northside Hospital — including one born right as the calendar turned into 2023.
All were born on New Year’s Day, Sunday, Jan. 1.
King Jackson was born at midnight at Northside Hospital in Atlanta to Yolanda and Vincent Jackson. He was 7 pounds, 6 ounces, and measured 20 inches. Dr. Ijeoma Okwandu was the attending physician. Joining King in the family were four siblings, 23-year-old Vincent, 21-year-old Jada, 20-year-old Valeria and 2-year-old Zuri.
Vincent Jackson Sr. called it a “once-in-a-lifetime experience,” while Yolanda Jackson said she felt “blessed but happy.”
Rick Olando Stegall III was born at 12:21 a.m. at Northside Hospital Gwinnett. He is the first child of Kristen Bogui and Rick Stegall Jr. of Duluth. He weighed in at 7 pounds, 13 ounces, and measured 21 inches long.
“It made us feel like it is a good sign that this upcoming year is going to be a wild but great one,” Kristen said.
Kenzi Mae Kennedy was born at 3:02 a.m. at Northside Hospital Cherokee to Maci Kennedy and Jerry Gravley of Woodstock. She was 5 pounds, 14 ounces at birth and measured 19 inches. Dr. Mariya Zhukova attended.
“I kind of had a feeling I would have her on New Year’s,” Maci said.
Kai Von Groner was born at 3:05 p.m. at Northside Hospital Forsyth to Vananh N. and W. Scott Groner. Kai was 8 pounds, 9 ounces, and measured 20 1/4 inches. He’ll be greeted at home in Suwanee by sister Rose Ann, 2 1/2.
