Ohio Valley’s First Babies of the New Year Make Their Entrances

Zaiden Alexander Thomas Wallace was the first baby born in the Ohio Valley in 2025. He entered the world at 2:28 a.m. at WVU Medicine Weirton Medical Center on Wednesday. He is the son of Olivia Doyle and Derek Wallace of Follansbee. (Photo Provided)
WEIRTON — The first day of 2025 saw two babies born in the Ohio Valley before noon, the first of those at WVU Medicine Weirton Medical Center.
Zaiden Alexander Thomas Wallace entered the world at 2:28 a.m. Wednesday, and he is the son of Olivia Doyle and Derek Wallace of Follansbee.
He weighed 8 pounds, 1 ounce.
Zaiden has three older siblings — Damon, 6; Annika, who will be 3 in February; and Octavia, who turns 2 at the end of this month.
Mom Olivia now has four youngsters at home. She works weekends at the Carriage Inn of Steubenville.
Dad Derek, meanwhile, is employed at Mondi in Wellsburg and works weekdays. This assures a parent is home with the children each day.
“If there is a will, there is a way,” Olivia Doyle said.
The gift of a child she received on New Year’s Day actually was a deferred present from Christmas. Zaiden had been due on Christmas Eve.
“I guess he wanted to come in with a bang,” Doyle continued.
Zaiden was delivered by caesarian section which she said “went well.”
“This will be my final baby,” Doyle added.
Trinity Health Health System in Steubenville reported a baby boy was born there at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday to Amanda Parks and Aaron Reed. The baby did not have a name yet before Wednesday evening, said Laurie Labishak, director of public relations, marketing, and communications for the hospital.
Just one other hospital in the area — WVU Medicine-Wheeling Hospital — handles births. The hospital reported no babies born at their facilities on Wednesday.