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thedrifter
04-29-09, 06:15 AM
Live from Providence, it's your baby

BY RICK FOSTER SUN CHRONICLE STAFF

PROVIDENCE -- When 7-pound, 3-ounce Farrah Rose Gloria Sousa came into the world Monday, her dad Nicholas was able to join mother Ashley for the birth of their first child - despite the fact that Cpl. Nick Sousa was 6,000 miles away serving with the U.S. Marines in Iraq.

Sousa, who has been abroad for the past two months, was able to take part in the delivery at Women and Infants Hospital via a two-way video hookup provided by the Freedom Calls Foundation.

The Attleboro couple were able to experience the momentous event together, with Dad providing encouragement and witnessing the birth almost as if he were in the next room.

"There are just no words to explain it," Sousa said via a video conference from Iraq Tuesday with his wife and new baby present. "It's beyond special, that's for sure."

Mother Ashley Sousa, who also had a labor coach present for the delivery, said it was a miracle to have her husband present despite the separation of so many miles.

"I'm so grateful they could do this for us," Sousa said of the non-profit foundation that has arranged hundreds of birth calls for military couples separated by distance. "I'm so happy Nick could be a part of this experience."

The birth was the second at Women and Infants in which a serviceman and his wife shared the experience by video, said hospital spokeswoman Susan McDonald.

On Tuesday, mom was surrounded by media and family members during her video chat with her husband in a day room at the hospital where both parents received received dozens of compliments on their new daughter.

"She's just so perfect, Nick," said his mother, Janet Dianto of Attleboro.

Similarly impressed were were Nick's father Mike Sousa, his stepmother Denise and Ashley's parents Barbara and Donald Pierce, all of Attleboro.

Nick Sousa, 22, and his wife, 21, met as students at Attleboro High School where they were partners in math class. Nick joined the Marines four years ago. The couple had been housed near Nick's base at Camp Lejeune, N.C., but Ashley is currently living with her parents in Attleboro.

Ashley said it wasn't a sure thing that Nick would be able to take part in the birth when he left for Iraq two months ago, but he gave her a phone number for the Freedom Calls Foundation which he had heard could make such things possible. The foundation quickly responded and arranged for a connection at Nick's base in Iraq.

Neither Ashley nor Nick's mom were surprised when things fell into place so nicely.

"Nick's a pretty determined person," Dianto said. "When he really wants something, there's a way of making it happen."

Not only did Freedom Calls link up the Sousas for the birth, the foundation is also setting up a connection so that mom and dad can have frequent video contact once their baby is home.

Ellie