ROCK SPRINGS — Craig and Hilary Hollihan Leavitt of Green River expected Arkyn William to enter the world on Jan 13.
But little Arkyn had other plans.
Memorial Hospital of Sweetwater County’s first baby of the new year was born at 10:46 a.m. Jan. 1, weighing 7 pounds, 10 ounces and measured 21 1/4 inches long.
It took a bit of studying to come up with a name. They both teach special education at Green River High school, so run across a wide variety of names.
“Craig is a fan of Norse mythology,” Hilary said. “Arkyn was the only name we both liked.”
It means “the eternal king’s son.”
The Leavitts joked, saying the arrival of their first born was destined to be early.
“I knew the day before New Year’s Eve that he’d be early,” Hilary said. “I wasn’t feeling well. I woke up New Year’s Eve morning and felt worse.”
Her husband had been gone for several hours that morning helping a friend. She worried he might not be there if she went into labor. Five minutes after he returned home, her water broke.
“I had to leave so it would happen,” Craig said with a chuckle.
Hilary said it was fate since her obstetrician, Dr. Jeffery Wheeler, was planning to be out of town this week.
“I tried to get him to induce me last week,” she said. “He just laughed.”
Instead, Dr. Samer Kattan did the honors.
“He was wonderful,” Hilary said.
“He did a great job,” Craig added.
Arkyn is the grandson of Charlie Hollihan, Tammy Wagoner, and David and Tammy Leavitt, all of Green River; and Dean and Lorraine Steppe of Cody.
About MHSC
MHSC is a non-profit, 99-bed, regional acute-care facility in southwestern Wyoming. The hospital has more than 500 employees, including more than 30 employed physicians providing care in more than two dozen specialty fields. MHSC offers care in ENT/otolaryngology, family medicine, general surgery, internal medicine, pediatrics, pulmonology, pediatrics, nephrology, obstetrics and women’s health, oncology, orthopedics and sports medicine, and urology. Services include cardiac rehabilitation, cardio and respiratory, diabetes education, dialysis, emergency care, intensive care, laboratory services, medical imaging, medical and surgical, nutrition therapy, rehabilitation and sleep disorder lab, as well as cardiology, vascular and maternal-fetal medicine services through its affiliation with University of Utah Health. Sweetwater Regional Cancer Center is an affiliate partner of the University of Utah’s Huntsman Cancer Institute.
