Yahoo Autos Life came full circle: He delivers baby 34 years after delivering tot’s mom in same Miami hospital
Thirty-four years ago, OB-GYN Dr. Rolando De Leon delivered his first baby at Mercy Hospital, a girl named Erica Ramirez.
Through the years, the doctor went on to deliver thousands more in our community.
Then, in March, while winding down his long clinical career, life came full circle for Dr. De Leon.
He delivered the baby of that first baby, at the same hospital.
“Delivering Erica’s baby in a way marks the eventual conclusion of one aspect of a career I have always enjoyed, which is delivering babies,” he said. “I look forward to wrapping up my clinical life to devote myself to mentoring and guiding medical students toward their chosen careers.”
Joining in the happy birth were Erica Ramirez’s wife, Natalia Ortega, and mom, Myriam Ramirez, who is the elated grandmother to baby boy Julio José Ortega.
A long-time healthcare leader, De Leon is the chairman of the Board of Trustees of HCA Florida Mercy Hospital and is currently chair of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Nova Southeastern University.
“The main reason why I’ve been at Mercy for so long is that they took a chance on me and supported me and the practice I wanted to build – which is a small town country practice in a big city. I am happy to say that the practice continues,” De Leon said.
He and his wife, Debbie, have their own children — 38-year-old twin boys Jorge and Felipe, and a 24-year-old daughter Maria-Teresa, who goes by “Mati.” Mati is following in her father’s footsteps and is in school to become a physician. She is teaching an anatomy class at Nova Southeastern University, the same school where her father teaches the next generation of OB-GYNs.
“I am so grateful for my wife Debbie’s support all of these years,” De Leon said.
“I couldn’t have done it without her support. Countless times we’ve been dressed up heading to a wedding or a dinner and we’ve had to turn into Mercy for a delivery. She’d follow me into the facility gown and all. That was her. She did it happily.”
Miami history tours, talks set
Bea Brickell, great-granddaughter of Miami founder Mary Brickell, is teaming up with South Florida historian Cesar Becerra at a series of events that celebrate the early days of our beloved city.
On June 11, history lovers can join Becerra’s Brickell Avenue walk with guest Bea Brickell. The two-hour tour starts at 10 a.m. at the Brickell Mausoleum in Brickell Park and includes stops at the Miami Circle, the oldest mansions on Brickell, and the new Brickell, ending at Mary Brickell Village.
Later, at 6 p.m., the duo will discuss Becerra’s book “Orange Blossom 2.0” about Mary Brickell’s role here, and a project they are working on together about the epic 1924 South Seas voyage of The Kaimiloa. The talk will be at Books & Books Coral Gables.
On June 12 at 10:30 a.m., they will present The Story of Mary Brickell, a children’s program, at The Culmer Overtown Branch Library.
