Athens, Ga. (May 10, 2024) – Cassidy Dye and her best friend Katie Kendra met during their freshman year at Emmanuel College and have been inseparable ever since. They were in each other’s weddings; they both live in Athens and have lunch together at least once a week; and they were even pregnant together.
Cassidy was pregnant with her first baby, a boy, and due May 11, 2023. Katie was pregnant with her second daughter and was due on May 31. Excited to be going through this special time together, the two thought it would only be more special if they delivered at the same time, but, of course, being due 20 days apart, they didn’t expect that to happen. And then it did!
Cassidy had been monitored throughout the latter part of her pregnancy for pre-eclampsia, and when she went to the Piedmont Athens Midwifery Clinic on May 3 for her 38-week checkup, she said she had a feeling she would be sent to the hospital. Sure enough, she was sent to Piedmont Athens Regional’s OBED to be triaged and monitored. At 10:30 p.m. that night, Cassidy was induced.
Of course, Katie had been in touch with Cassidy throughout the day and was anxiously awaiting news of baby Dye’s arrival. And she was anxiously awaiting that answer from the Piedmont Athens Regional OBED and triage unit.
Katie’s due date was May 31, but at 35 weeks and two days, she developed terrible headaches, perhaps related to elevated blood pressure, but the headaches would not subside. The midwifery clinic sent Katie to the hospital on May 3 to monitor her and treat her headache.
Luckily, Cassidy’s mother was able to go back and forth between their rooms to check on the friends and their soon-to-be-born babies. At 11:13 a.m. on May 4, John Joseph (Johnson) Dye, III, was born.
Concerned about her high blood pressure, Katie’s doctor had already decided to induce labor, so she was in triage waiting for an open delivery room. By now, the labor and delivery staff knew about the two friends and their special connection. They promised to let her know when Cassidy would be moving to the Family Care Center, making sure she was wheeled past Katie’s room, allowing Katie to meet Johnson for the first time. Shortly thereafter, Katie was moved to a labor and delivery room—the exact room, in fact, that Cassidy had delivered in. At 9:15 p.m., Eastynn Rivers was born, 10 hours after Johnson and in the very same room.
Once Katie was also moved to the Family Care Center, the families got together for a pizza party, and Eastynn and Johnson met for the very first time. Cassidy and Katie hope they will also be best friends forever; just like their mommas.
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