Nico Tortorella and Wife Bethany C. Meyers Share Journey to Welcoming Baby No. 2 in the 'Middle of Hurricane Milton' (Exclusive)

"The moment I realized I was in labor in the middle of Hurricane Milton, I was lying in the bed of the hotel room we had evacuated to for the night," Nico Tortorella's wife Bethany C. Meyers, 38, writes in a first-person essay. "My first reaction was denial, then dread, quickly followed by surrender. The home birth I had imagined had taken a different turn, but just like pregnancy, parenthood and babies, nothing is predictable, and we are never in control the way we think we are."

"However, just as divine timing tends to know better than us, labor stalled, storms cleared and we made it back home to welcome our 10/10 hurricane baby: Pesce Pearl Meyers Tortorella!"

"Our first child, Kilmer, is named after my grandfather’s last name, so it’s only fitting that this baby is named after Nico’s grandfather’s last name. We had these names picked out years before they were even conceived. The middle name, Pearl, is a nod to my dad’s middle name, Earl, and to a stone that has meant a lot to us throughout our journey to conceive."

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"It was a long and beautiful labor, followed by a peaceful and powerful birth. I always feel humbled and honored by birth — the chance to usher life into this world, a vessel molded by something much greater than me. There was a time during our infertility journey when I wondered if we would ever have one baby, and now I have two. It’s never lost on us just how lucky we are."

"I’m forever grateful to my birth team, my husband, my daughter, and my son for holding space for me to carry out the most transformative experience of my life," she said.

In his own essay, Nico, 36, shares the moment he learned that his wife was in labor.

"After our daughter Kilmer was born, we decided to move to Florida. Against all odds, we knew the Sunshine State was home. With much of our family migrating south, having kids almost demands that closeness. It’s one of the best decisions we’ve ever made."

"Ironically, the day we arrived in Florida, our second child was conceived. After years of struggling with infertility to conceive Kilmer, our little dude showed up almost effortlessly. Everything felt exactly as it should be."

"We’ve always known that hurricanes and Florida go hand in hand. As October approached, and our due date neared, we had to discuss our home birth plans during a storm, living on a barrier island in an obvious evacuation zone. When Hurricane Helene swept through Florida and headed north, the devastation was heartbreaking. Then came Milton. Living on the east coast, we thought we’d be okay, but storms have a way of surprising you. On October 9th, we decided to evacuate. Accessibility was key; if our bridges closed, our birth team wouldn’t make it to us."

"So we packed up — shutters down, birth tent deconstructed (the same one Kilmer was born in), and our car filled to the brim. We threw our two-pound chihuahua in the car with us. Crossing the bridge was the scariest five minutes of my life, and we didn’t expect the tornadoes. As soon as we got in the car, the sirens echoed through the vehicle, ricocheting off the ocean waves. Tornadoes were close."

"Forty minutes later, we found ourselves in a run-of-the-mill hotel, ready for anything. After an hour of sleep, Bethany woke me up: 'Babe, I’m having contractions, and I think my water just broke.' Silence followed by a 'F---.' This was it — we were about to have a baby in the middle of a hurricane, with tornadoes nearby."

"The next 18 hours are a blur, and we’re still processing how we made it back home. We plan to film and record our full birth story on our new podcast, Full of Shift, available wherever you get your podcasts. Our son, Pesce Pearl, was born in the tent under the stars, with the sound of waves crashing nearby. It was perfect."

"Pesce means fish in Italian — how fitting. We moved to Florida, weathered the storm and our little fish was born. Like fish thriving in turbulent waters, we found strength and clarity amidst the chaos."

"This land, with its storms and beauty, anchored us, revealing our resilience and deepening our connection to one another. To honor the storm is to honor my family; both have the power to shape us and make us stronger. We are forever grateful and in awe of this journey. In gratitude, forever. All of it is you."