OT Harris with Knoxville firefighters.Photo:Knoxville Fire Department - TN/Facebook
Knoxville Fire Department - TN/Facebook
A new intern with aKnoxville, Tennessee firefighter crew has deep ties to the unit. They helped with OT Harris' delivery 18 years ago!
Last week, the Knoxville Fire Department announced the 18-year-old had joined the crew as part of Knoxville’s Summer in the City intern program. “It’s a small world! In 2005 this KFD crew assisted in the delivery of Mr. OT Harris. Today this crew is working with Mr. Harris as part of the Summer in the City intern program!“KFD officials wrote on Facebook. The paid intern program runs for eight weeks and places applicants within city departments to assist with administration and support tasks.
Harris was born on New Year’s Day 2005 when his mother, Lateshia Hall, went into labor at her mother’s house two days before a scheduled induction. Her mother called 911, and members of the Knoxville Fire Department responded just as Harris' head was visible.
Mark Wilbanks, the assistant fire chief and paramedic who helped with Harris' delivery, will now be the teen’s summer mentor, but toldTodaythat he did not want to take all the credit for what happened 18 years ago. “I just assisted in the delivery — OT’s mother did all the work,” he said, adding that the teen is part of their family.
Harris' delivery stood out among the many emergency births Wilbanks helped because Hall’s demeanor was “calm, cool and collected,” he recalled.
Harris' internship with the KFD will involve helping the department with administration and social media strategies, and Wilbanks told the outlet that the teen — whose connection with the KFD was discovered during a casual conversation on Harris' first day of the internship — has so far impressed the team with his personality and drive.
Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
Harris will soon begin his freshman year at East Tennessee State University, majoring in English, with a minor in education and is the CEO of his own business,OT’s Business Consulting.
source: people.com
