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DRAPER — The Cowabunga Bay water park in Draper gets busy in the summertime, and for one family the area is also the birthplace of their son.
Ryan and Nora Peterson celebrated their son, Pierce's first birthday at the park on Saturday. The family rented out the entire park for the day and Pierce received a special gift from the Cowabunga Bay staff because one year earlier he was born in the parking lot of their water park.
"So, this is a present that we got on behalf of Cowabunga Bay for your son that was born here last year, and we are really thrilled to have you guys back," said a staff member at Cowabunga Bay in presenting the gift to the Petersons.
A year prior, Nora was at Cowabunga Bay with her children and other family members when she suddenly started having contractions. As she started to leave the park, a big thunderstorm rolled in and the baby started coming. Unable to drive, Nora called Ryan and told him to come to the park.
"I got here when some of the lifeguards were tending to her," Ryan said of the experience. "The ambulances weren't even here. (The lifeguards were) bringing out towels and preparing for a parking lot birth."
"Everybody calls him 'Bunga boy,' -Ryan Peterson, father
When the ambulances arrived and with the microburst weather in full swing, Nora gave birth to Pierce in the parking lot.
"Everybody calls him 'Bunga boy,' Ryan said. "Everybody wanted us to name him Parker because he was born in the parking lot."
The Petersons said they will probably celebrate Pierce's birthday at the park every year.
"His story gets told anywhere from two to 10 times a week, so we've had a lot of fun with it," Nora said.
A framed photo of Pierce hangs in the Cowabunga Bay offices.
