Woman Born During Hurricane Gilbert Gave Birth As Hurricane Irma Headed For South Florida

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MIAMI (CBSMiami) – Yaritza Gonzalez was 40 weeks pregnant when Hurricane Irma was forecast to be a category 4 or 5 headed straight for South Florida.

The 29-year-old didn't want to leave her Cutler Bay home, but her husband convinced her to go.

"So we're in Zone A so my husband said, 'You need to go.' I said, 'I'm not going into hospital. Everything is fine and I don't need anything.'  But he pushed me to go," Yaritza said.

Yaritza was stressed, wondering if she would have a house to come home to.

"Of course this is very emotional and I'm thinking about the house. Are we going to have electricity? Will we be completely flooded?" she remembers. "So we get to South Miami and all of a sudden my blood pressure is high and my contractions start."

Out came beautiful baby Alexandria Sophia, weighing 8 pounds and 3 ounces.

Thankfully all was good and they are all back home.

"She loves it here. She sleeps all night. She's a happy baby," she said.

But this story has a twist.

You see, Yaritza is no stranger to hurricanes. She was actually born during Hurricane Gilbert, a major storm 29 years ago in Cuba.

Mom Celia doesn't speak English but remembers her 18-hour delivery ordeal well.

"They moved her to another hospital to do the C-section," Yaritza said.

"Did the power stay on?" asked CBS4's Lisa Petrillo.

"No," said Celia, "It was scary"

Grandmother Celia breaks into tears of joy when she remembers her experience giving birth to Yaritza.

Yaritza feels it was all meant to be.

"I didn't think much of it, but then I said, 'Well, if she comes out like me, she will be very strongminded and very strong like the hurricane," Yaritza said smiling.