On the morning of September 11, 2002, Terri Clark was on her Maine property putting up fencing for her kids’ pigs when contractions started. Her husband drove her toward the hospital, but they stopped at the Waterville Fire Department, where firefighters were gathered outside for a 9/11 memorial service. Firefighter Robert Shay Jr. delivered a baby boy at 8:46 a.m., the exact minute the first hijacked plane struck the World Trade Center’s North Tower one year earlier. They named him Robert Maxwell Freedom Clark, and the birth made national headlines, even appearing in People magazine.
The story took an even more remarkable turn when Shay learned he shared a nearly identical name with a 9/11 victim. The young man’s parents said the newborn carried on their son’s legacy. Now, 24 years later, Robert is a merchant marine engineer and recently engaged, while Shay has retired after 29 years of firefighting. The two recently reunited for the first time since that morning.
For both Clark and Shay, the delivery remains a bright spot connected to a difficult anniversary. As Clark put it, 9/11 was such a sad day, but he actually brought some joy, turning a morning of remembrance into something good. What’s your favorite story of unexpected joy on a hard day? Share it with us in the comments.
