‘I dropped my sushi and legged it.’ Hooker Hanson’s dash to son’s birth
Richard Dinnen - Queensland Editor |
Rugby union star James Hanson ran hard and fast, not at some distant try line, but to the Brisbane hospital room where his wife was about to give birth,
And he made it in the nick of time.
Hanson and wife Ashlee had been waiting for the birth at Mater Mothers’ Private Hospital.
But with the baby thought to be still several hours away, Ashlee was advised to get some rest and Hanson went out for air and food.
“I thought it was a good opportunity to get some fresh air and some food for what was meant to be a few hours yet to go.
“I went for a walk and got a call from Ash not long after saying the baby was coming.
“I dropped my sushi and legged it back to the room and by that time Alfie was already starting to arrive.
“I’m glad I got there in time. It was such an amazing experience and very different to when we had our daughter Penelope in the UK.”
Hanson said he was so thankful Alfie had arrived “happy and healthy”.
The couple decided on the name Alfred, after their two-year-old daughter Penelope started calling him ‘Alfie’ when Ashlee was pregnant.
Since arriving home from hospital a few days ago, Hanson said Penelope had taken the role of big sister in her stride.
Hanson, 33, is a former Wallabies hooker who played seven seasons for the Queensland Reds before switching to the Melbourne Rebels.
