News

Preemie, doing well, claims first baby title at Mission

Jonah Thomas Roberts was born on New Years Day.

By Lightning Reports, Published: January 2, 2026

Mission Hospital proudly welcomed its first baby of the new year when Jonah Thomas Roberts was born at 3:46 a.m. in the early hours of New Years Day.

Though Jonah arrived earlier than expected, he is doing well and receiving expert care in Mission Hospital’s Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.

Jonah was born to parents Shannon Jeffords and Travis Roberts of Marshall, North Carolina. He weighed 4 pounds, 10 ounces at birth and was originally due on Feb. 10. Jonah is Shannon’s second child; she is also mom to 5-year-old Aria. This is Travis’s first baby.

Shannon went into labor on Tuesday evening at 9:02 p.m. After her water broke, she was transported via EMS to Mission Hospital, where the care team safely delivered what would be the first baby of the year.

Jonah was quickly admitted to the Mission NICU following delivery. According to his nurse, Bailey, Jonah is doing well and progressing exactly as expected for his gestational age.

This was not Shannon’s first experience with Mission Hospital during this pregnancy. On Nov. 22, she arrived at Mission dilated to one centimeter, and the medical team was able to intervene and successfully prolong her pregnancy, giving Jonah valuable extra time to grow.

Shannon expressed deep gratitude for the care she received from the Mission Hospital team.

“Thank you for being so patient and caring,” Shannon said. “They made my birth experience stress-free.”

While having a newborn in the NICU can be overwhelming, Shannon says she feels reassured by the expertise of Jonah’s care team.

“I’m terrified, but I know he is with a team that knows how to take care of him,” she said. “As a mom, you don’t think anybody can take better care of your baby than you can, but in this case, I know he’s in the best hands.”

Jonah’s name holds special meaning for the family. Jonah Thomas was named in honor of both of Travis’s grandfathers, known affectionately as his “Papaws.”

Mission Hospital is honored to begin 2026 by celebrating the arrival of Jonah Thomas Roberts and wishes the family continued strength and joy as he grows stronger each day.