SAN JUAN, PR – The crew of the USNS Comfort welcomed a baby boy on November 3, the second baby to be born on the ship since it arrived in Puerto Rico.
Isaias Valerio-Fonseca was born via C-section to mother, Yaritza Valerio and father, Luis Borja, a U.S. Navy veteran. He arrived at 1:38 p.m., weighed 6 pounds, 3 ounces, and measured 18 inches long.
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SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (Nov. 4, 2017) Yaritza Valerio, mother, Luis Borja, father, and Isaias Valerio-Fonseca, first U.S. male baby born and the first cesarean section aboard the Military Sealift Command hospital ship USNS Comfort (T- AH 20) since arriving in Puerto Rico. Comfort is moored pierside in San Juan to provide humanitarian relief. The Department of Defense is supporting the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the lead federal agency, in helping those affected by Hurricane Maria to minimize suffering and is one component of the overall whole-of-government response effort. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Stephane Belcher/Released)
The couple arrived at the USNS Comfort the day before the baby’s birth, having traveled from Humacao, Puerto Rico, over an hour away.
“We knew that the Comfort was here,” said Borja. “As a former Sailor I know the quality of the naval hospitals. So I didn’t want to take any chances, we just came here. So we drove all the way from Humacao to San Juan.”
Borja praised the quality of care and treatment given by the Comfort’s crew, as well as the importance of his new son being born on a Navy ship.
“He will know about this. Someday, he will know about this. Of course he will know I was a Sailor and I will tell him he born on a Navy vessel,” said Borja, who also served aboard the USS Enterprise (CVN 65), explaining how his baby boy had honors rendered on the naval ship. “He was never in the Navy and he got more honors than I did.”
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SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (Nov. 4, 2017) Lt. jg. Randi Acheson, neonatal intensive care unit nurse, and Hospitalman Aaron Lestourgeon, both embarked aboard the Military Sealift Command hospital ship USNS Comfort (T- AH 20), take footprints from Isaias Valerio-Fonseca. Valerio-Fonseca is the first U.S. male baby boy born and the first cesarean section on the ship since arriving in Puerto Rico. Comfort is moored pierside in San Juan to provide humanitarian relief. The Department of Defense is supporting the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the lead federal agency, in helping those affected by Hurricane Maria to minimize suffering and is one component of the overall whole-of- government response effort. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Stephane Belcher/Released)
Valerio says she will always remember how she has been treated on the Comfort and thanks the staff.
“We have been treated well, very well,” said Valerio. “This one, this delivery, this experience is way better that the first one. Here at a naval hospital, we have been treated well and received quality care.”
The Comfort remains moored pier side in San Juan providing medical assistance to those affected by Hurricane Maria.
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