Oklahoma Family Tailgates Outside Hospital During Babies Birth Due To COVID-19 Pandemic

Broken Arrow newborns Everly and Emery have a lot in common.

"They both weighed 6 pounds, 3 ounces and they were both 18 inches and 3 quarter," said mother Alexiz Choate.

The identical twins were born just moments apart. Emery first, then came Everly just two minutes later.

"There wasn't a single thing different about them," Alexiz said.

And these twins have a lot in common with millions of other babies born this year, too; they were born during a global pandemic.

"We found out we were pregnant before COVID; it was right as it was starting to hit the news and everything," said Alexiz.

Parents Hunter and Alexiz Choate said they found out they were pregnant back in February. Planning to have just one child, they were in for quite the surprise.

"It never crossed our mind that we were going to have twins," Alexiz said.

And shortly after they got another surprise, and this one was not so good.

When COVID-19 shut down most of the country in the spring, they were told only Alexiz could attend their doctors appointments.

"It was hard. I just got to hear the appointments. Didn't get to see them, didn't get to see the pictures," Hunter said.

Eventually Hunter was allowed back in for the appointments, but the couple soon faced another tough reality. Both of their parents, who were becoming first-time grandparents, couldn't be inside the hospital on delivery day.

"I was just really upset that I wasn't going to get to be there. Pops wasn't going to get to be there," said Anita Broyles.

She and Mark are Alexiz's parents.

"When we got closer to the time, and I started accepting the fact, I was like we've got to turn it into a way that COVID doesn't steal it. Doesn't steal the joy of it," said Anita.

So Mark, Anita and the rest of the family started to brainstorm. They decided if they couldn't be inside St. Francis, why not just camp out, outside.

"There's no way we could have stayed here at the house," Anita said.

So in the early morning of October 5th, when Alexiz's water broke, the family got ready.

"We ran to Reasor's, we grabbed sodas, ice, snacks, grabbed our lawn chairs," said Mark.

While Hunter and Alexiz went inside, the rest of the family parked outside, on top of a parking garage facing the hospital. Stocked with food, drinks and baby themed music, they waited.

"Hunter said about 30 minutes ago they're gonna start pushing. It's been about 30 minutes."

And waited some more. Until that evening, through Facetime, Hunter called them with the very best news of all.

"Ahhhhh! Oh my gosh! You did it! They're beautiful!"

Everly and Emerly had arrived, two perfectly healthy little girls. And while the extended family couldn't be inside, they were there in a way. Just outside, through the magic of technology.

"To even have them think about tailgating in a hospital parking lot just to see their grandbabies. It's amazing," Alexiz said.

"It didn't matter what was going on," Anita said. "This was one of the absolute best things that has ever happened to us."

And in the years to come, when COVID-19 is long behind us, these twins will have a story to tell about their family who tailgated their birth.