By Emmanuel T. Erediano
emmanuel@mvariety.com
Variety News Staff
WAREHOUSE worker Derrick Delos Reyes Sr. and his wife, Dorian Babauta, said they felt blessed to welcome their third son, Derrick Jr., who was born on the first day of 2026.
Derrick Jr., who remains at the Commonwealth Healthcare Corp.’s pediatric ward for further observation, was born at 4:08 a.m. He weighed 4 pounds and 15 ounces at birth after his mother carried him for only seven months, making him premature.
The CNMI’s New Year baby is doing well, Delos Reyes said in a telephone interview on Monday. He added that further monitoring is needed due to the baby’s premature birth.
“He was really pushing to come early,” said Delos Reyes, a 38-year-old warehouse worker at Coca-Cola.
He said the family hopes to bring the baby home to Kagman I soon, where their two other sons — Devin, 11, and Dylan, 8 — are excited to meet their new baby brother.
“He’s a blessing to both of us. We would like to take him home as soon as possible,” Delos Reyes said before he and his 32-year-old wife took a selfie with Derrick Jr. at the pediatric ward on Monday.
Emmanuel “Arnold” Erediano has a bachelor of science degree in Journalism. He started his career as police beat reporter. Loves to cook. Eats death threats for breakfast.
