Anyone who has encountered the Quintero and Contreras families in Hollister know they have a story to tell. Bernadette Lucas-Burch, a small vibrant lady, is the keeper of the family history and shared hers with a twinkle in her eye and smile on her lips.
Lucas-Burch’s son, Silas Quintero, met his future wife, Julie Contreras, through Silas’ sister (Lucas-Burch’s daughter) Breanne Quintero in 2006. Silas and Julie were married Oct. 5, 2011.
Silas’ other sister, Beth Quintero, met Julie’s brother, Victor Contreras, at a baby shower and the two were married in May 2014. To clarify, brother and sister married brother and sister and everyone lives in the small town of Hollister.
One morning Lucas-Burch received a phone call from her son, Silas.
“I remember wondering why Silas was calling at 7 a.m.?” Lucas-Burch said. He told her Julie was expecting a child.
About 10 a.m., Lucas-Burch received another phone call, this time from her daughter, Beth, who told her she was also pregnant. Within three hours, Lucas-Burch found out about two future grandchildren.
On Oct. 28, 2011 both families were at a party at Julie’s mother’s home, when Julie started having contractions. Shortly after Julie told Beth about her contractions, Beth also went into labor.
Beth arrived at Hazel Hawkins Memorial Hospital around 11 p.m. and was taken to a birthing room. When Julie arrived a few minutes later, the hospital staff found out they were family and put the mothers-to-be in neighboring rooms.
“I could hear Beth having faster contractions,” Julie said. “I could hear her have him and I got to hold my nephew while my son was still inside of me. I remember him on my belly and thinking ‘he is so beautiful’ and then wondering, ‘is mine ever going to come out?”
Mathew Contreras was born at 3:56 a.m. Oct. 29, 2011.
Julie had a C-section and David Quintero was born at 4:18 p.m. The boys were born 12 hours and 21 minutes apart. David is named after Beth and Silas’ late father.
“I believe my dad made it happen,” Beth said about her and her sister-in-law’s babies coming into the world together on the same day. “He wanted us to have this experience together.”
Silas and Julie agreed.
“We are blessed. It doesn’t get any better than that.”
