ATLANTA — It's a Georgia love story born over the same date: Feb. 22.
Idris Payne and his fiancée, Sydni Dunovant, met 10 years ago at what's now Midtown High School. The two learned they shared a birthday: Feb. 22. Born a year apart, they would celebrate their birthdays together for years to come.
A decade later, the two high school sweethearts spent their birthday in the delivery room.
Dunovant, 25, gave birth to a baby boy Tuesday night. Payne, 26, planned to name the baby after himself, but they would share more than a name. The two were expecting their blessing on Feb. 22, 2022.
The odds of two parents sharing the same birthday as their child are 1 in 133,000.
"You can’t make this up. It’s so surreal, magical," Payne said. “2-22 is an angel number, it represents a lot of things: love, relationship, staying together. He’s going to mean everything.”
Payne said his full name meant "son of all-knowing king.” He praised the resiliency of his fiancée, who had been taken to the hospital around 6 p.m. Monday. She gave birth that evening at Emory University Midtown Hospital. Because he made it before midnight, the entire family now shares the same birthday.
Georgia couple who share 2/22 birthday deliver baby on same day
“Everybody thought we planned this," Dunovant said. "No, not even a little bit. This is definitely crazy. I'm a new mom. it’s a new chapter in my life, so I’m excited about that as well."
While the couple's birthdays are close together, they never expected their child to be born on their birthday.
But the celebrations won't stop there.
Payne and Dunovant plan to get married this year. Payne said his dad was feeling lucky enough to possibly play the lottery.
"This is definitely the best birthday I could have asked for," Dunovant said. "I can't wait to watch him grow up and everything."
Baby Idris was ultimately born at 10:40 p.m. Tuesday night, family told 11Alive.