BRH- Bartlett Regional Hospital welcomed a special delivery on January 3rd – the first baby born in 2026. Bjorn Schroth was born weighing 7 pounds, 15 ounces and is 20.5 inches long. Bjorn is the first child of Annie Ortega and Austin Schroth of Juneau.
“The nurses are great and have been super helpful to us as new parents,” said Annie. “Before Bjorn was born, a coworker commented that his name was fitting of a boat captain, so to receive this handmade boat is really special,” said Austin.
Bartlett Beginnings gifted the family a handmade wooden rocking boat filled with newborn items. The family is the ninth recipient of what has become a Bartlett Beginnings tradition for the first baby of the year. The boat was made by Dr. Lindy Jones, an Emergency Department Physician at Bartlett, and his wife, Colleen Jones. This year’s boat is made from Sitka Spruce donated by Icy Straits Lumber in Hoonah.
With nearly 300 babies born a year at Bartlett, Bjorn is the first of many special lives to be welcomed at the hospital in 2026. To learn more about Bartlett Beginnings, please visit bartletthospital.org/services/birth-center.