New year, new additions: St. Luke's hospitals welcome first babies of 2025!

Ringing in the new year brought an exciting start not just to 2025, but brought brand-new life for some Idaho families. Evelyn Lily Hodge holds the distinction of being the first baby born at a St. Luke's hospital in 2025.

Evelyn Lily made her debut shortly after the start of the new year, arriving at 12:29 a.m. at St. Luke’s Boise Medical Center. She decided to join her family 19 days ahead of schedule – mom’s original due date was Jan. 20.

Evelyn’s birth weight was recorded at 5 pounds and 7 ounces, and she measured 19 ½ inches long. Evelyn is welcomed to the world by her mom and dad, Felan and Kelly Hodge, two sisters and a brother. Evelyn’s big sisters, Adelynn and LeAnna had the honor of choosing their baby sister’s middle name, Lily – something of which they are very proud.

Sixteen minutes later, St. Luke's Magic Valley welcomed its first baby of 2025.

While many Magic Valley residents headed out to celebrate New Year’s Eve, Emilia and Mitchell Williams headed to St. Luke’s Magic Valley Medical Center around 8 p.m. on Dec. 31. They didn’t have to wait long for the birth of their baby boy — Luke Gunner Williams was born at 12:45 a.m. on Jan. 1. It was a New Year’s celebration they’ll never forget, and they got to share the experience with their older son.

Some siblings may not like to share, but 6-year-old Gunner Williams was thrilled that his parents are using his first name as the baby’s middle name. Gunner had been asking his mom and dad for a baby brother or sister for a couple of years and had been anxiously awaiting Luke’s arrival.

“He wasn’t as excited to open his Christmas presents, he was just really excited about the baby,” Emilia said about Gunner. “As we got closer, it was an everyday thing, asking me are you having him, when is it going to be, how many days until he arrives, how many hours… he was very, very involved."

The wait is finally over and while little Luke weighed just 8 pounds, 2 ounces at birth, he’s made a very big impression.

“I will protect him with all my life!” Gunner said when asked what he thinks about his baby brother.

The first baby of the year born at each of St. Luke’s eight hospitals receives a gift basket that includes a variety of baby items provided by St. Luke’s Children’s Hospital, the Auxiliaries, or the St. Luke’s Health Foundation.

“I actually had zero clue that that was a thing to celebrate, it’s so cute!” said Emilia. “It was all special.”

Just short of one hour after Evelyn arrived in Boise, baby Aramis made his debut at St. Luke’s Meridian Medical Center at 1:27 a.m. to parents Kamay and James Duncan. Baby Aramis arrived exactly on his due date, weighing nine pounds and measuring 20 inches long. Baby Aramis joins one sibling in the Duncan family.

-St. Luke's public relations managers Christine Myron (Treasure Valley) and Kelly Franson (Magic Valley) contributed to this story.