Couple shocked to become rare parents to have quadruplets conceived naturally: ‘I didn't think it was gonna be four!'
A New Jersey couple has defied the odds, welcoming quadruplets — all conceived naturally.
Aja (pronounced Asia) Kennon and her fiancé, Emmanuel Volmar, recently became among the few people in the world to experience such an extraordinary pregnancy earlier this month.
Advertisement
Kennon and Volmar were excited to expand their family — which already included an 8-year-old son, EJ — when they unexpectedly found out she was pregnant. She assumed that it might be twins because her belly had grown so large, but she was surprised when she saw three heads on the sonogram.
6 The New Jersey couple has defied the odds, welcoming quadruplets — all conceived naturally.
Aja Kennon/Instagram
'I didn't think it was gonna be four!' Kennon told The Post. 'This was unexpected.'
Advertisement
But it was a quartet of distinct heads, confirming a rare event with odds ranging from one-in-700,000 to one-in-a-million, doctors said.
And the July 1 delivery itself was an extraordinary event, involving more than 20 medical professionals — each baby with their own dedicated medical crew at Cooperman Barnabas Medical Center in Livingston, New Jersey.
'There was a whole football team in there,' Volmar joked.
Kennon easily popped out one healthy baby after the other, each about a minute apart, starting at 10:59 a.m. The miracle babies were all brought home right away, safe and sound.
Advertisement
The boys — Ean, Evan and Eamon — share the same first initial 'E' with their dad, while the girl, Alayha, shares an 'A' with her mom.
6 The quadruplets — Ean, Evan, Alayha and Eamon — were born the morning of July 1.
Aja Kennon/Instagram
6 'I didn't think it was gonna be four!' Kennon told The Post. 'This was unexpected.'
With twins running in both her and Volmar's families, it was meant to be — though, because they learned about the quadruplets on April Fools' Day, people didn't believe them at first.
Advertisement
Perhaps even more shocking, Kennon had no complications during her high-risk pregnancy. She even kept working as a USPS mailwoman full-time until seven months into her pregnancy and thinks all the walking helped.
'I was surprised myself by how easy a pregnancy it was, honestly,' Kennon admitted, sharing that her first pregnancy was a bit more difficult, as EJ needed to be induced.
6 Despite the shock, Kennon embraced the news. With twins running in both her and Volmar's families, it was meant to be.
Aja Kennon/Instagram
6 Because they learned about the quadruplets — pictured in the hospital with new big brother EJ — on April Fools' Day, people didn't believe them at first.
Courtesy of Cooperman Barnabas Medical Center
Despite the overwhelming nature of raising quadruplets, the couple remains amazingly calm.
'Once we found out that we were having quadruplets, we immediately got the ball rolling. From the moment we found out, we were just, like, 'Okay, let's get the show on the road,'' Kennon said.
The couple is now facing a whirlwind of joy and uncertainty as they begin to raise the newborns alongside their elementary schooler. The family, who initially planned for just one more child, quickly had to adjust to the reality of four cribs, quadruple the diapers — and an entirely new life.
Advertisement
They've also decided to delay a wedding until all their children can walk down the aisle and participate.
But, thanks to their pre-planning and support system — Volmar's mother has fortunately moved in for now — they've jumped into parenting five children quite easily.
Reality check: Dad does admit that the feeding schedule is especially demanding.
'It's never-ending, and then before you know it, it's time to feed them again,' Volmar told The Post.
Advertisement
But even EJ has happily stepped up, offering to feed the babies and change their diapers. And while he loves all his siblings equally, but has a special place in his heart for his sister.
'He's very delicate with his sister, like he'll make sure he kisses her on the head,' Kennon shared.
To help with the financial burden, the family has launched a GoFundMe campaign to cover medical expenses, transportation and the costs associated with caring for quadruplets.
'We are overjoyed, filled with love and gratitude — but we'd be lying if we said we weren't overwhelmed, too,' Kennon wrote on the page.
Advertisement
6 The boys share the same first initial 'E' with their dad, while the girl shares an 'A' with her mom.
Courtesy of Cooperman Barnabas Medical Center
Their community has rallied around them as the news has spread. New Jersey area mom Facebook groups have flooded the comments of posts sharing the news.
One woman whom Kennon hasn't spoken to since high school even reached out and asked to coordinate a meal train to help out.
Fortunately, thanks to their pre-planning and local support, they've settled into parenting five children very well.
Advertisement
According to BECU and the National Diaper Bank Network, they'll likely spend about $4,000 a year on diapers alone.
But luckily, they haven't even needed to buy diapers or wipes yet: They have a closet filled with supplies — all donated or gifted.
'Everybody's as shocked as we were when we found out,' Kennon said, joking, 'We're pretty much the center of attention.'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
San Francisco Chronicle
an hour ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
Surfing dogs dodge big waves before huge crowd at Pacifica's world championships
Iza leaned down into her board, slicing through the surf at Linda Mar Beach, the cheers from spectators filling the air. Moments before running aground, she leaped off the board and gave a shake. World Dog Surfing Championships with their humans. Dogs surfed alone and in tandem with their humans, in roiling waves that one human compared to a washing machine. Thousands of spectators filled the beach, braving fog and 55-degree air, many bringing their own dogs. They chatted with competitors, posed for photos with the surf dogs and dodged waves as they vied for the best spots to watch the action. 'I'm really enjoying it,' she said, taking a sip from her Baja Blast margarita to ward off the damp chill. 'The waves are bigger, and the dogs are hitting them harder, bless their little hearts.' Competitors ranged from Petey, a 6-year-old West Highland white terrier, to Cacau, a chocolate Labrador and the 2024 grand champion of the surf competition. This year's competition was foggy and cold, with messy chop that made wave-riding more challenging, several competitors said. Several surfers swam their dogs far out into the surf to find better waves, their pooches confidently perched on their boards as they sped through waves that reached 4 or 5 feet tall. 'It's a pleasure to be surfing with my best friend,' said Cacau's owner, Ivan Moreira, a former professional surfer who'd flown to California from his home in Rio de Janeiro for the event. Moreira had started training Cacau when the pup was just 3 months old, bringing her on a 12-foot paddleboard with Bono, another dog he owned, until she got used to being out in the waves. Also among the competitors was Faith, a 14-year-old pit bull. Faith, one of the oldest competitors, was attending her seventh Pacifica surf dog championships. Her owner, James Wall, found her abandoned in a parking garage around 2012, scared and dirty. Wall had never owned a pit bull but fell in love with her immediately. When he took her to a beach near their home in Santa Cruz, he saw other beachgoers training their dogs to surf. 'I thought, 'Hey, that would be cool. Let's see what we can do.'' Faith jumped right onto the board. They started in waist deep water, sending her to the shore on gentle rollers. Soon, anytime she saw him doing anything beach related, she started 'whimpering, whining, getting excited,' Wall said. Along the way, Faith became a social media celebrity, with thousands of Instagram followers, and even appeared on 'Good Morning America.' What delighted Wall the most, he said, was the bond he developed with Faith and the joy watching her change from a scared puppy abandoned in a garage to a 'happy-go-lucky' dog with a zest for life. 'This changed the world for her,' he said. This year's competition was bittersweet, he said, because it would be Faith's last. She was recently diagnosed with vestibular syndrome, which can make it hard for dogs to balance, and Wall wanted to end her surfing career while she was still happy and strong. On Saturday, Faith placed first in the large division and third overall. 'I'm sad knowing it's the end, but extremely happy with how she did,' he said as fans oohed and ahhed over Faith. 'She went out like a champ, and she got the last hurrah we were hoping for.' Iza, the French bulldog, competed in the Pacifica championship for the fourth time, said her owner, David Fasoli. Iza is an unlikely surfer, Fasoli said. He adopted the Frenchie during the COVID-19 pandemic. With little to do, he frequently took her to the beach. She loved running in and out of the waves, and later, while boating, he watched as a friend's daughter took the pup tubing. Fasoli, who works at Costco, decided to see how she'd take to surfing. He bought a surfboard and gradually taught Iza to get comfortable riding it in his pool, then returned to the beach, bringing Iza out into the surf, holding the board until a wave caught it. Soon, Iza was riding small waves into shore. 'To see this 1-year old French bulldog piece it all together, take a little wave in, run to shore, turn around and come back and want to continue to learn … it was a magical moment,' he said. 'I was super proud.' On Saturday, Iza won the medium division and competed for a shot at the top prize. For Fasoli, watching his little Frenchie compete alongside veterans such as Cacau and Faith felt particularly poignant. Here was a French bulldog, the unlikeliest of surfers, defying the odds. Fasoli has spent his life defying his own odds. As a teenager, he maimed his left hand while trying to set off fireworks. It took Fasoli years to overcome the trauma of that incident, he said, but he found inspiration from watching Iza's evolution. Recently, he decided it was his turn to try to get on the board. 'Anyone out there who thinks they can't surf, here's a nonsporting dog, and a disabled person, showing you you can do it,' he said. 'My balance is not the best, and I'm not the best surfer, and Iza is not your typical surfer dog, we're just doing our best.'
New York Post
5 hours ago
- New York Post
Penguin Random House editor shared post mocking murdered exec Wesley LePatner
A top editor at Penguin Random House allegedly mocked the murder of Blackstone executive Wesley LePatner in a bizarre Instagram post which blamed her for the housing crisis and ending with 'rest in piss.' Thomas Gebremedhin, vice president and executive editor at Doubleday Books, shared the vile Instagram story highlighting an X post about Monday's mass shooting at 345 Park Ave., where LePatner, 46, was gunned down while trying to shield herself behind a marble pillar. 'Her sole job was making sure housing is expensive and that we all rent for the rest of our lives,' read the original post portraying LePatner — a Jewish mom of two — as the face of unaffordable housing. 4 Thomas Gebremedhin, a VP and executive editor at Penguin Random House, reposted an X post screenshot about LePatner's death, sparking backlash across social media. William – 'She made $9,000 a minute … Rest in piss.' Social media users were quick to point out that LePatner did not earn '$9,000 a minute,' and condemned the post, which was first made in response to Blackstone's official memorial tweet and flagged by Free Press reporter Maya Sulkin. 'It's not just people in the dark corners of the internet justifying LePatner's murder,' Sulkin wrote in a Friday X post. 'It's people like Thomas Gebremedhin.' 4 LePatner's 14-year-old daughter tearfully called her 'my rock' at Thursday's funeral service at Central Synagogue, held just blocks from where she was killed. Zuma/Billy Tompkins / The tone-deaf repost stunned many in the publishing world, where Gebremedhin moves in elite literary circles. His Instagram, @tgebremedhin, is private but screenshots of the story began circling online this week, triggering widespread condemnation. 'Book publishing industry is full of scum. Probably more woke than the worst universities,' one user commented under Sulkin's post. Another wrote: 'The Left be like: anyone with a lot of money deserves to be murdered, unless they're Hamas terrorist billionaires.' 4 Wesley LePatner, a mother of two and top Blackstone executive, was shot and killed Monday in the lobby of her Midtown office building during a mass shooting. Blackstone '[He] should be fired … absolutely deplorable,' a third chimed in. LePatner, who was global head of Core+ Real Estate and chief executive officer for Blackstone Real Estate Income Trust, was mourned by her firm and family as 'brilliant,' 'warm' and 'deeply respected.' She served on the board of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, mentored young women and was honored by UJA-Federation for her Jewish philanthropy. She was shot dead Monday by gunman Shane Tamura, who killed four before turning the gun on himself. LePatner had crouched behind a pillar in the lobby of 345 Park as bullets flew. 4 Shooter Shane Tamura opened fire inside 345 Park Ave., killing four — including LePatner — before fatally turning the gun on himself, police said. Obtained by NY Post Her teenage daughter called her 'my rock' during a tearful funeral Thursday at Central Synagogue in Midtown, where more than 500 mourners gathered just blocks from the site of her death. Neither Penguin Random House nor Gebremedhin immediately returned messages seeking comment.
New York Post
5 hours ago
- New York Post
Kristine W feared for life on turbulent Delta Air Lines flight
EDM star Kristine W feared for her life when violent turbulence rocked her Amsterdam-bound Delta Air Lines flight Wednesday, sending 25 passengers to hospital. Now, the 'The Boss' songstress believes she has a concussion after she was sent flying into the overhead compartment aboard the rattling Airbus A330-900, a model of aircraft her lawyers allege has a history of malfunctions and shouldn't have been cleared to fly. 'It was absolutely horrifying … I've been performing for 40 years and I've been on airplanes all over the world, and I've never experienced anything like that. I thought, 'We were not going to make it on this one,'' the singer, whose real name is Kristine Elizabeth Weitz, told The Post in an exclusive interview. 5 Singer Kristine W suffered injuries aboard the turbulent Delta Air Lines flight that made an emergency landing this week. Getty Images for iHeartRadio 'I'm a leukemia survivor, and the last time I felt that kind of terror and hopelessness was when I was diagnosed with leukemia 25 years ago.' Weitz was aboard the fated plane out of Salt Lake City to perform at a festival in Amsterdam — posting a joyful picture of herself and her daughter at the gate shortly before takeoff. They were just about an hour into the flight when the attendants were serving drinks and the plane, which can seat more than 250 people, began rattling violently. Passengers were thrown around with food carts and other belongings flying through the cabin. The turbulence came out of nowhere, so the seatbelt light was still off, Weitz recalled. 5 Weitz and her daughter seen smiling at the gate before the flight. Kristine W /Instagram The 17-time Billboard chart topper was wearing the restraint loosely anyway, but it wasn't enough to hold her down or keep her from smashing into the plastic overhang of her window seat. 'I had broken the plastic up in the roof above my head,' said Weitz, adding that the force was so great that she also has bruises on her hips from her seatbelt. Her daughter, Elizabeth, who was sitting elsewhere in the plane, remained in her seat, but suffered whiplash and back pain. One of the flight attendant carts tipped over her during the turbulence and covered her in food and liquids, she said. 5 Weitz suffered bruising from her seatbelt, seen her over an existing surgery scar. Courtesy of Evan Oshan The pair watched other passengers suffer more violent injuries, including one man who was fully lifted out of his seat. The aircraft made an emergency landing Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport, where 25 people were carted away to hospitals. Weitz claims she was not seen by emergency services because the responders only paid attention to those who were 'bleeding.' 'They didn't seem ready to handle an incident like that at all. That was the most terrifying part, was watching the disarray,' the singer said. 'We're told they're trained to know what to do with emergencies like this and, wow … that was not the case.' 5 The ceiling sustained damage after some passengers were thrown into the air. Courtesy of Evan Oshan The dance music superstar fears that the incident will have lasting effects both physically and mentally — she's awaiting doctors to confirm her fears that she suffered a concussion, but is more concerned that her anxiety will prevent her from boarding planes in the future. Weitz is currently in Amsterdam for a festival, but says she only made it overseas because of contract obligations: 'I'm not sure, cognitively, if I can remember my lyrics.' Now, her legal team is calling for Delta to ground all Airbus A330-900 aircraft so a federal probe can investigate a string of malfunctions associated with the fleet. 'We believe this was a predictable and preventable occurrence,' said Evan Oshan of Oshan and Associates, who is working with Daily Jones Law Group as co-counsel. 5 Carts carrying food and drink spilled across the cabin, including some items that drenched Weitz's daughter. Facebook / Ricardo Hoogesteger Lawyers filed a formal complaint with the Federal Aviation Administration Friday, alleging that the fleet has a history of critical flight system malfunctions, a pattern of emergency landings and go-arounds, and more. 'They have to find out what was wrong with that plane and what happened, because no one should experience anything like this,' said Weitz. The National Transportation Safety Board said its investigation was too preliminary to determine whether the aircraft had pre-existing defects. Delta Air Lines would not provide new information, and the FAA did not respond to request for comment.
