Oklahoma's first baby of 2022 born in McAlester
Jan. 6—Oakley Sue Finnerty became Oklahoma's first baby born in the new year just minutes after midnight in McAlester.
Kelly and Michael Finnerty welcomed their healthy daughter at 12:03 a.m. Jan. 1 at McAlester Regional Health Center — with the governor's office set to send a commendation letter to the family for bearing the state's for child of the new year.
"We're just really shocked and excited," Kelly said with a laugh. "It'll definitely be a cool story to tell her when she's older."
Kelly said she was 38 weeks pregnant when she started having contractions — leading her to believe Oakley would be born New Year's Eve.
But she was delivered minutes after midnight and joins her sister, 20-month-old Tatum.
Kelly graduated from McAlester High School graduate and the University of Oklahoma before moving to Dallas, where she met Michael. They married and moved to McAlester, where Kelley works as a nurse practitioner at MRHC with Dr. Kamron Torbati.
"I love MRHC and wouldn't want to deliver anywhere else," Kelly said. "Dr. Torbati is not only a colleague, but he's a great friend too so it wasn't even an option in my mind to go somewhere else."
Contact Adrian O'Hanlon III at aohanlon@mcalesternews.com
