HILLSDALE, N.J.—When Joshua Boone held his baby son aloft at Hillsdale Borough Hall on Sept. 8, the applause celebrated an arrival that had brought a family and four local first responders together five months earlier.
Marshall Boone made his grand entrance at the family’s home on Magnolia Avenue April 6, with two Hillsdale police officers and two volunteer EMTs helping his parents welcome him safely into the world.
At the Borough Council meeting, Police Chief Travis Woods recognized Sgt. David Sayers, Officer Dominick Speciale, and Hillsdale Volunteer Ambulance Service EMTs Jim Clark and Rachel Brunn for their teamwork during the early-morning emergency.
“I’d like to reaffirm that this is exactly the kind of call that reminds us of why we do what we do,” Woods told those gathered.
For Marshall’s mother, Alyssa, seeing the responders honored was another reason to appreciate the town her family has called home since moving from Florida last November.
“Everyone’s just been, you know, so welcoming — and it was amazing to see them honored,” she said. “I’m so grateful to them.”
The morning of Marshall’s birth began at 3 a.m., when contractions woke Alyssa. Even though she was 42 weeks pregnant — two weeks past her due date — she had trouble believing the moment had arrived.
“I was still in denial that I was gonna have this baby,” she said.
She paced between her bedroom and bathroom as she labored. The plan had been to go to the hospital, but when she realized the baby was coming immediately, she changed course and told Joshua to call 9-1-1.
The call came in at 6:04 a.m. Officers arrived two minutes later, followed by Hillsdale EMS at 6:08 a.m., Woods said.
With no advanced life support units available, according to the police department, the officers and EMTs worked alongside the parents as the delivery unfolded.
Sayers “took control of what I can only imagine was a scene filled with emotions of all kinds,” Woods said. The officers, EMTs and parents worked “as one cohesive unit on this morning.”
Within about 13 minutes of the emergency call, Marshall had arrived—7 pounds, 6 ounces, and 20.85 inches. A determined new Hillsdale resident.
The ambulance service said this was the first baby delivered by EMS and police officers within Hillsdale in 22 years. Mother and baby were safely transported to the hospital, according to police.
Woods said that despite the unexpected delivery, the professionalism, teamwork and quick actions of everyone involved helped ensure that Alyssa and Marshall were safe.
“They handled everything so well and I was, I was in good hands that day,” Alyssa said.
Marshall’s name has a family connection. Joshua’s aunt Marsha suggested Marsha or Marshall when she learned the couple were expecting, before they knew whether the baby was a girl or a boy. The couple liked Marshall, and the name stuck.
It also paired nicely with the name of his big sister, Madeline.
“They’re our little ‘M&Ms’,” Alyssa said.
Marshall is Alyssa’s second child and Joshua’s fourth, his first boy after three daughters. Along with Madeline, he has older sisters Kylie, who turns 20 in October, and Kate, 13.
Now a mother of two children under 2, Alyssa spoke with the newspaper while taking the train to work. She moved north while pregnant for her job as an insurance underwriter specializing in mergers and acquisitions and commutes into the city about three times a week. Joshua works as a service advisor at Motorcycle Mall.
“Everyone is so nice and friendly and has welcomed us,” she said of Hillsdale.
She said of choosing Hillsdale it was more accurate to say “Hillsdale chose us.” The growing family were settling in Leonia, but the property turned out to suffer from toxic mold. The search continued, frantically, buoyed by stays in hotels and Airbnbs — and then their Realtor introduced them to Hillsdale, and Magnolia Avenue.
“We love the downtown, the people; it’s right by the train… It was meant to be” she said.
Sayers, a 21-year member of the police force, shared details of the response. Speciale has served with the department for three years.
Clark praised Brunn’s professionalism and thanked Sayers, Speciale, and the other officers gathered in the room for their cooperation with volunteer EMTs throughout the borough.
“Every call we go on in this town the police are there, they’re cooperating, they know what has to happen, and we don’t see that in every town,” Clark said.
“It is pretty amazing to see how much they are invested in helping us do our work. And I just want to thank them all.”
Woods congratulated all four responders — and offered special congratulations to baby Marshall.
— With staff writer Michael Olohan