Queens Couple Celebrates First Father's Day As Parents With Newborn Triplets
MANHASSET, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) -- It's hard to beat this Father's Day gift bestowed on a first-time dad from Queens.
Triplets were delivered earlier this week for a couple who spent the pregnancy, and the pandemic, on the front lines.
There's three times more to celebrate this Father's Day. Violet, Austin and Stephen Jr. debuted at nearly full term, overwhelming their parents -- two of New York City's front-line workers.
"Being a first-time father on this upcoming Father's Day, I'm overcome with joy," Stephen Vieitez told CBS2's Carolyn Gusoff. "I got three beautiful babies that I get to change diapers for."
This happy ending came after a challenging, high-risk pregnancy for the couple from Howard Beach.
Vieitez works for the MTA. His wife, Kathrine, an NYPD traffic agent, was about to enter the Police Academy.
"I went through all the tests, all the exams to become a police officer," Kathrine Vieitez said. "So, they canceled the class twice because of COVID, and we find out we are pregnant, and then pregnant with triplets. I had to put it aside, because the most important thing was the safety of my babies."
"It was a trying time during the pandemic with social distancing, coming home very afraid, washing up, in order to stay safe and keeping the babies very healthy and safe," Stephen said.
Triplets are a rarity, even more so with the U.S. birth rate dropping for the first time in 50 years. But not at North Shore University Hospital, where there's been a pandemic baby boom.
"A lot of people are moving to Long Island," said Dr. Victor Klein, an obstetrician at North Shore University Hospital. "This is going to be the busiest year we have ever had in the hospital. We have so much, we had to hire extra staff."
Katherine said she's not giving up on her dream of becoming an NYPD officer. But, for now, she has a new job she loves and a Father's Day gift for Stephen she says will never be beat.
"Next year, I gotta think about it. No more kids, I don't think so," she said.
And yes, there will be a diaper detail.
"The estimate is 10,000 diaper changes for the three babies their first year of life," Klein said.
"He's been changing diapers, giving bottles, better than I," Katherine said.
Stephen is already mastering his new, essential job. And he said he presented his wife with a three-studded diamond ring, one for each triplet.
