Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

LAPLACE – Barry Hanson Jr. and Ashira Hanson will always have photos to look back on to remind their son what the world was like the month he was born. Little Barry Hanson III is due to make his arrival on April 23, and his parents have all the supplies they need after this week’s drive-by baby shower.

More than 20 cars lined up on the street Tuesday evening, honking horns and dropping off gifts as they passed by. Ashira’s mother, Necohle Stanton, collected the gifts on a table in the driveway and disinfected each one before transporting them inside.

By the end of the evening, Barry and Ashira had little boy clothes, bottles, diapers, wipes, bibs, socks, towels, money and much more.

Necohle got the drive-by baby shower idea from her church member, Johnika Gayden-Gaines. The baby shower was originally going to be held in the cafeteria or the gym of East St. John Preparatory Academy in LaPlace, where Gayden-Gaines serves as principal.

“She came up with the idea to host the baby shower for them because we all wanted to celebrate them, but we just couldn’t gather because of the virus,” Necohle said.

The gesture was a great surprise to Ashira. Despite all that’s going on in the world and in St. John the Baptist Parish, Ashira has kept a positive outlook. Up until starting her maternity leave last week, she continued working as an essential employee at a local bank.

“There’s just things that you can’t do anymore in daily life. I still go to my doctor’s appointments, but I have to go by myself now instead of my husband coming with me,” Ashira said. “It’s a little challenging. It could be worse, so I’m still grateful.”

Baby Barry Hanson III will be her and her husband’s first child, and they are excited for the adventure.