As Mr. Dwyer hopped into the hospital bed with Ms. [Maria Pettis] to look over the newborn, a friend remarked "Isn't this how everything started?"

"That was all him," Ms. Pettis said with a weary smile. "I just wanted to get her out."

As Ms. Pettis pushed on under the care of Dr. Frank Kolucki, Mr. Dwyer and Ms. Pettis' mother and sister watched the ball drop at Times Square on television and caught some fireworks from Scranton's First Night celebration through the window.