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‘How Odd Is That?’

Dunkirk Sisters Share In Leap Year Rarity

Marissa Quinones holds her daughter, Ja’vaesha.

DUNKIRK — One in a million odds have nothing on what occurred this week to a pair of north county sisters.

Marissa Quinones and Makiya Anthony, siblings from the city of Dunkirk, each gave birth to a baby on Leap Day, which was Thursday.

The babies were born just a few hours apart at two different hospitals.

Marissa’s daughter, Ja’vaesha, was born around 8 a.m. Thursday at UMPC Hamot in Erie, Pa. Makiya’s son, Noel, was born around 3 p.m. at Oishei Children’s Hospital in Buffalo.

“It’s crazy. I’m kind of overwhelmed,” said Tina Mick, grandmother to the two mothers.

Makiya Anthony holds her son, Noel.

Mick joked for weeks that the mothers were going to give birth on the same day, but “never thought it was really going to happen.”

Makiya had a doctor’s appointment Wednesday, at which point she was immediately sent to Oishei Children’s Hospital. Marissa already had a C-section scheduled for Thursday.

Both babies were delivered via C-section and appear to be fully healthy.

Incredibly, the rarity of the date was already celebrated in the family, as Marissa’s father was also born on Leap Day.

“How odd is that? I Googled it and it was over 2 million to one that it would actually happen,” Mick said. “… The weirdest day to have a baby, on Leap Year, and they both did it the same year, seven hours apart.”

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