That day, Dec. 8, was Heidi’s mom’s birthday. Ryan Patrick Hendrix was born at 12:24 a.m. on Dec. 9.
“My parents said he was born 25 minutes late,” Heidi said. “But he was never a boy that was late. He was ahead of time.”
At 9 pounds, 4 ounces, and 21 inches long, Ryan was the biggest baby Heidi and her husband, Don, would have. He was in the middle. Ryan had three older brothers, three younger brothers and a little sister.
“The nurse said when she held him when he was first born that he tried to jump out of her arms,” Heidi recalled. Don added: “He was born with a six-pack. At seven months old, he could climb the chair and get onto the (kitchen) table.”