The Chicago Bears welcomed new babies Tuesday at Advocate Christ Medical Center to celebrate the start of the team’s 2022 football season.
Bears player Patrick Scales and mascot Staley were the team’s ambassadors, bringing goodie bags filled with a Teddy Bear, bibs, rattles and a sippy cup all bearing the Bears logo. Perhaps most impressive was they also delivered the baby’s “first Bears contract” with the Chicago Bears Baby Bears club.
In some cases, Scales and Staley met the infants before the newborns met their own siblings.
Petros and Nichole Drimonas’ new son was only about 16 hours old, having been born at 6:20 p.m. Monday. They had not even named the 7-pound, 4-ounce baby boy yet.
“He is super, super fresh,” Nichole said.
But that did not stop her husband from talking football with Scales.
“That was a real nail-biter at the end,” Nicholas said about the Bears’ come from behind win over the San Francisco 49ers in the rain Sunday.
“We like the intensity of the new coach,” Nicholas said, referring to Matt Eberflus.
“So do we,” Scales said.
Rachael Sareny’s new son was even younger than the Drimonas’ baby. Sareny, of Oak Forest, gave birth to Logan at Christ at 12:55 a.m. Tuesday.
“Today’s his birthday,” she told Scales and Staley. Logan’s due date was Sept. 16, but Sareny was happy he came early.
Mothers and fathers alike appeared happy to meet Scales, Staley and the hospital staff and photographers, who tagged along from room to room.
“It’s exciting and different,” said Hector Villa, father of Angelo, whom Grace Cruz gave birth to Monday.
No Bears visited when his and Cruz’s first two sons were born, Villa said with a smile.
“Third time’s the charm,” he said.
The Park Forest couple’s 4- and 2-year-old boys had met their newborn brother Angelo only via video so far, Villa said.
The Bears crew stopped by the room of Kryssa Artieda-Suobiron, who was still waiting for her twin boys to arrive. So Staley visited with Artieda-Suobiron’s two young children who were there, exchanging high fives and fist bumps.
Four-year-old Yue drew the head of a bear on his tablet and showed it to the giant Bear.
“It’s like they are best friends now,” said Scales, who has a 4-year-old daughter and 3-year-old son of his own.
“The whole family are Bears fans,” Artieda-Suobiron said.
Scales, who is starting his eighth season with the Bears, was not surprised Staley drew more attention than he did, as his role of long snapper does not generate a lot of fame.
The long snapper on a football team snaps the ball for another player to kick for a field goal or to punt.
“It’s my job to hike the ball,” said Scales, who went to Utah State University.
“I walked on as a tight end and a long snapper. I found I was good at long snapping and got put on scholarship for that,” he said.
After taking a selfie with Scales, one hospital worker said, “My son is going to love that,” then asked, “What is your name?”
Dr. Tiffany Wilson, who works in obstetrics and gynecology for Advocate Health, recognized Scales’ name and his position, explaining she is a longtime Bears fan.
She had her own thoughts about the team’s chances this year.
“I’m excited about our great quarterback,” Wilson said. “(But) we don’t have any receivers.”
Advocate Health Care sponsors the Chicago Bears Baby Bears program, formerly known as the Chicago Bears Crib Club.
Kimberly Fornek is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.
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