A Texas couple are preparing to welcome a baby girl, the first daughter in his family after more than a century of only boys.
Michael Sherman, 34, a lieutenant with the Montgomery Fire Department, and his wife, Joacquia, 32, said they were shocked when doctors confirmed the gender of their second child.
“We didn’t think it was quite possible for us to even have a girl,” Joacquia told ABC News. “I just knew if we had another child, it was going to be a boy, so I was very surprised.”
The Texas couple, who already have a five-year-old son, Mekhai, said he is excited about becoming a big brother to their first baby girl.
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“I think he’ll be a great big brother and a great leader. He’s definitely looking forward to meeting his new sister,” Michael said.
The Shermans revealed that the last girl born into Michael’s family was in 1917. She was his late great-aunt, Orah Belle Sherman, remembered as a strong figure in the Civil Rights movement in Atlanta.
“It was pretty incredible finding out that we’re expecting a girl and we get to honor my great-aunt,” Michael said. “She just had an incredible personality.”
Michael recalled being completely taken aback during the gender reveal, which turned into a much bigger event than he expected.
“I was just getting off shift that morning and we had what was supposed to be a small gender reveal with very close family members,” he explained. “Going into it, I took the blindfold off and there’s a camera crew, and there’s family from all over the United States. It was a huge surprise on top of me finding out that it’s a girl. So it was pretty amazing.”
Joacquia, who works with the Transportation Security Administration at George Bush Intercontinental Airport, said she planned the surprise with relatives.
“I just wanted it to be special for him because this is such a rare moment for our family,” she said.
The expectant mother is due on March 11, 2026, and both parents said they are grateful for the rare blessing.
“It’s a blessing,” Michael said. “After 100 years, to have this moment it feels really special.”