Beekon Ray Meade, born at 12:18 a.m. Thursday at WVU Medicine Wheeling Hospital, was the first birth in the Ohio Valley for 2026. (Photo Provided)

WHEELING — A new life entered the world just after midnight on New Year’s Day and became the newest and youngest resident of the Ohio Valley.

Baby boy Beekon Ray Meade was born to Brooke and Phillip Meade of Woodsfield at 12:18 a.m. Thursday at WVU Medicine Wheeling Hospital. He was the only baby delivered in the Ohio Valley on New Year’s Day, and the first of 2026.

Beekon weighed 8 pounds, 2.8 ounces, and was 20 inches long.

The Meades had been expecting a child on New Year’s Day as that was his due date.

“He’s our little light,” Brooke said.

Phillip noted it took “about an hour” to bring his wife from Woodsfield to Wheeling for delivery. But he reported they had no problems despite the cold, snowy weather late Wednesday going into the New Year.

“We got here right before it started getting bad,” he said.

He added that after arrival, the delivery also went smoothly.

“My wife acted like she had done this before,” Phillip said.

Beekon is the couple’s third child. They also have a 4-year-old daughter and a 2-year-old son.

Phillip reported mother Brooke to be “doing well” following childbirth but that she “was tired.”

WVU Medicine Wheeling Hospital, Trinity Health System in Steubenville and WVU Medicine Weirton Medical Center are the only hospitals locally that regularly deliver babies.

Officials at both Trinity and Weirton reported no babies being born there as of late Thursday afternoon.