More great news from The Kody Norris Show! Banjo player Josiah Tyree and his wife, Cassie, are celebrating the birth of their second child.
Hillie Ann Tyree was born on Sunday, September 29th at 6:04 a.m. She made her appearance weighing in at 9 lbs, stretching out to 22 inches. Big girl!
But Josiah tells us it wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows, as her birth was severely complicated by the hurricane flooding in east Tennessee.
“We planned for me to be off the road with the Kody Norris Show the week before Hillie’s due date, just in case she was to arrive early. Little did we know all the adventures that would happen during this time.
On Thursday, September 26, I was in Raleigh for the IBMA awards show. This was the first year we had been nominated, and I wanted to be there if any way it was possible! I was able to attend, and left midway during the show to get back to Cassie and Hazel.
It rained so hard the entire way home, on through the night, and all the next morning. Friday morning arrived, which meant we were one day closer to the due date, but also I was stuck in the little mountain town where we live due to all the debris, fallen trees, and the ongoing flooding disaster.
Our neighbors and I pitched in, and we started cutting trees to allow people to get out – mainly us – if need be. As I arrived back to the house around 9:00 a.m., Cassie mentioned she was having contractions. The water was getting higher and higher by the minute, and I knew if she was to go into labor we wouldn’t be OK. In a split second we made the decision to grab some things and get to Mountain City. Only 10 minutes into town turned into an hour drive. But we made it.
Contractions got a little less severe throughout the day, and we settled in at Kody and Mary Rachel’s house.
Later that night we were listening to the band on the Grand Ole Opry, and the contractions started back. This time a little more severe. I took her to the ER in Mountain City, and they flew her by helicopter to Johnson City, TN.
Here I was stranded, with no way to get to the hospital to be there with her. The main roads were flooded by this time and actually gone. My only hope was a mountain route that even the ambulance couldn’t take. Those familiar with the area will understand the route I’m about to speak of… Shady Mountain to Holston Mountain to Bristol, and back to Johnson City. Once again an hour drive turned into a two and a half hours. But I was so thankful!
We spent the next two days off and on with contractions, leading to labor Saturday afternoon.
Long story short, Cassie birthed our second beautiful little girl, Hillie Ann Tyree, on September 29th at 6:04 a.m. After some complications and longer than expected hospital stay, we were able to bring her home on Saturday October 5!”
Wonderful news for the growing Tyree family. So happy to hear that everything worked out.
Many congratulations to Cassie and Josiah, and a hearty Bluegrass Today welcome to little Hillie Ann!
