The baby's name is Ebosalume. It means "What God did for me." The boy's parents say they had a different one planned, but changed it, saying faith was on their side the day their son was born.
For every little sound her newborn son makes, Katherine Oyedoh says a silent prayer, thanking God for his perfect health.
Katherine Oyedoh said, "It was so amazing; it was like, God arranged it all."
Katherine's ordeal started on March 23rd, three weeks before her April 15th due date. She was on a Delta flight from Africa to Atlanta, with plans to eventually reach her fiance in Fresno. But, those plans quickly changed, once Katherine's water broke 36,000 feet above the Atlantic Ocean.
"I had to go to the bathroom. I came back and I wasn't comfortable."
A flight attendant, named Susan, rushed over to help. After moving Katherine to some empty seats, she found a doctor on board, as well as a nurse. As they guided her through labor, the remaining 200 passengers stood by and did the same.
Once Ebosalume was born, the plane was diverted to Senegal, where he and his mother stayed for nearly two weeks. After filling out the proper paperwork and communicating with the consulate, the two finally arrived in Fresno just one day before Easter.
Katherine's fiance, Greg Idoni, says it was the longest wait of his life. "All I could hear is the baby screaming and crying, the hospital people everything, but I haven't seen this baby. It was a very tough time. It was an emotional time."
The three are now settling in as a family, all while dealing with the worldwide attention their story has received. Both mom and dad say, while words can't describe how grateful they are to those who helped bring their son into the world, they hope that one day, at least he'll understand.
Mom and dad are now in the process of decorating a nursery, and finding a local pediatrician.
The parents now have to petition for the baby's U.S. citizenship. They will need a certificate from the Airline saying the baby was born mid-flight over the ocean. For now though, the baby is technically a citizen of Senegal. The mother is a Nigerian citizen, and dad is a U.S. citizen.
KABC-TV reports the flight attendant, Susan Carnes, used a pair of scissors sterilized in a cup of vodka, a flashlight and gloves to help the woman give birth. There was also a doctor on board.
"I just held him up, and I said, 'It's a boy.' And everybody clapped, and there was laughter, and it was really fun and exciting. And she was so happy and weepy," flight attendant Susan Carnes told KABC.
