A Maryland couple recently got the surprise of their lives: The father's fellow firefighters used a firetruck and ambulance to bring their newborn son home for the first time.
Firefighters and medics from three squads helped introduce Michael Terrance Faherty III to his adoptive parents, Michael and Karen Faherty.
The Fahertys, both 29-year-old Army veterans, were home in Baltimore on Saturday because they were told their home needed to be inspected. Instead, a firetruck came screaming down their street, along with dozens of men who graduated along with Michael Faherty from the Anne Arundel County Fire Training Academy.
Emotional video footage shows the off-duty firefighters chanting a song from the academy as they walk up to the Fahertys' door.
"We got something for you. A delivery!" someone can be heard calling out.
Then, adoption agent Dean Kirschner walks to the front door with an infant in his arms.
"Here's your baby boy," Kirschner tells the shocked new parents.
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"Thank you so much," Karen Faherty says through tears. She bends down to kiss the little boy, who's wrapped in a blue blanket and wearing a yellow hat.
Then, Kirschner and the firefighters lead the Fahertys to an ambulance stuffed with diapers and baby gear.
"Thank you guys so much. I don't even know what to do," Michael Faherty says, starting to cry too.
Kirschner, of the Baltimore County adoption firm Adoption Makes a Family, worked with the Fahertys for more than a year to find a child for them. But they didn't know when they would get to meet their son.
He said the families he works with knows he often sets up surprise introductions to their children. Several adoption surprise videos can be found on his agency's Facebook page.
"They know that Dr. Dean comes at weird times and surprises them with a baby," he said Tuesday.
Kirschner worked with the Anne Arundel County Fire Department, Baltimore City Fire Department and Ferndale Volunteer Fire Company to orchestrate the surprise. Kirschner said he knew he wanted the Flahertys to meet their son amid "great fanfare."
"I thought, let's get firetrucks, let's get ambulances. We're going to come down the street with screaming sirens and race to the house with the baby," he said.
The Fahertys declined an interview Tuesday as they cared for Baby Michael.
Kirschner said it was intentional that he didn't hand the Flahertys their baby right away, which drew the attention of some social media commenters.
He said he knew from 25 years of experience that the brand-new parents were in too much shock to be handed their child right away.
"Your brain is on such overload," he said.
The Flahertys got to hold their son for the first time once they were inside, sitting down.
"I said, 'I'm going to hand you your baby,'" Kirschner recalled. "It was just awesome. It was just beautiful."
