Essentia Health-Fargo welcomes first baby of 2024

Essentia Health-Fargo welcomed its first baby of 2024 at 7:57 a.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 2.

Veer Patel was born to parents Jatin and Binta Patel of Fargo. Veer weighed 6 pounds, 3 ounces and measured 19.5 inches long.

According to his parents, Veer was named in honor of The Courageous One in Hinduism, and his name means 'brave', 'warrior' and 'protector.'

"In February of 2023, my dad passed away," explained Jatin. "At that time we weren't really planning for another baby, but my dad was always like 'she's going to have a brother, she's going to have a brother'.

"It'll be a year next month and we are glad to have turned that year over and to have been blessed with a healthy baby this year. We lost a person, but we gained another."

Veer has one sibling — older sister Anika, who is 3 1/2.

Over 1,200 births occurred at Essentia Health-Fargo in 2023.