Two Acadiana families with unique connection meet again

LAFAYETTE, La. (KLFY) - Two Acadiana families come together once again after sharing a unique connection.

When Jamie Fontenot's father passed away, she decided to write a letter which stated, "To my dad's angel, even though I will never know your name, you are the first child born here after my dad's passing. When one life is taken, another is given. Please keep my dad in your prayers."

Fontenot was inspired to write the letter after hearing music playing on the hospital's PA system. It's a lullaby that plays throughout the hospital when a newborn has just arrived, stated CBS News.

A baby was born at 10:40 a.m., which was only a few minutes after Fontenot's father had passed.

Parents of the newborn baby did not have a middle name to give to him, which is when they received Fontenot's letter from Dr. Jennifer Pugliese and nurse Cydney Begnaud, who assisted with Connie Despanie's labor and delivery, CBS News reported.

The parents found the letter so moving that they decided to name the baby Kingston James Hall, after James Lee Grimment, 86, Fontenot's father, according to CBS News.

"I came in and then the dad says, 'Oh, we found our middle name!' And I'm like, 'All right, what is it?' And he says, 'Well, it's James, of course!'" Cydney Begnaud said. The nurse is CBS News reporter, David Begnaud's mother and the one who tipped CBS News off to the story.

Cydney Begnaud arranged for the two families to meet, and they have been bonded ever since, reported CBS News.

The families met up for the first time since the beginning of the pandemic, with Fontenot saying she has followed Kingston's every milestone.

Kingston described being proud of his name, with his mom saying, "He loves to say his name. He'll tell you, 'I'm Kingston James Hall...' I can't even describe it because he's here and on top of that he was blessed with an angel as well coming into the world."

For more information, view the original story here.