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Mother gives birth on Jamestown-Scotland Ferry

Posted at 11:54 AM, Jan 27, 2018
and last updated 2018-01-28 08:34:12-05

SURRY, Va. — A bundle of joy was born on the Jamestown-Scotland Ferry Friday night.

The 7 pound 8 ounce baby girl, named JoyAnne Truth Howard, was delivered around 11 p.m. on Friday, according to the Virginia Department of Transportation.

The mother, Anna Howard, arrived at the ferry dock just before 11 p.m., when the ferry took off, Anna knew she wasn’t going to make it to the hospital. She had her baby halfway across the river in her van.

Officials say that deck-hand worker on the ferry boat called ‘Williamsburg’, Bill Bailey, helped the mother deliver the baby.

Luckily enough, Bailey is a retired Newport News firefighter, now a part-time Hampton firefighter and full-time deck-hand worker for the ferry. He used his training to help deliver the baby.

JoyAnne is the first baby girl in the family. She has three big brothers. Her father’s name is David Howard.

VDOT said that this isn’t the first time someone has given birth to a child on the Jamestown-Scotland Ferry boat ‘Williamsburg’. Back in 2015, a baby girl was also born on the ferry.