Published: March 08, 2006 11:34 am      

A welcome birthday gift

Brea Tate, center, holds her newborn daughter, Madison Kay Price, who was born Tuesday morning. At left is grandmother Cheryl Hunsell; at right is grandmother Jane Tate.

MT. VERNON — Cheryl Hunsell received the best present she could hope for.

Her grandson, the son of slain Marine Lance Cpl. Kyle Price and Brea Tate, was born on her birthday.

Madison “Madi” Kay Price made her entrance into the world at 5:38 a.m. Tuesday at St. Mary’s Good Samaritan Hospital. Madi came a bit early, as her arrival originally wasn’t expected until March 23.

“Her birth was the best thing that could have ever happened on my birthday,” Hunsell said while holding Madi this morning. “It’s just like it was all meant to be. So many things have happened recently that just seem meant to be.”

Madi weighed 6 pounds, 4 ounces and was 18 1/2 inches long.

While it’s heartbreaking her father did not see her make her way into the world, Madi will always know her daddy loved her, family members said.

Price died from small-ammunition fire on Jan. 13 in Iraq while protecting Marine engineers.

“She’s got my eyes and Kyle’s nose,” said proud mother Brea, who is doing fine but keeping busy with the steady stream of visitors to her hospital room, including a fellow soldier who served with Kyle. “Madi is just beautiful; what else can I say?”

Grandma Jane Tate also described her granddaughter as “simply beautiful.”

“I’m just so proud,” Tate said. “And I think it is great that she was born on Kyle’s mom’s birthday. I’m just ready to get Madi home and start spoiling her.”

Brea said she and Kyle picked out the name months before the birth, and Kyle was able to hear the baby’s heartbeat. If the baby had been a boy, he would have been named Keaton Thomas.

Grandpa Robbie Tate said he was, of course, thrilled about his new grandson and was happy everything went “A-OK.”

Grandpa John Hunsell described his grandson as a “true gift from God.”

“I’m so happy, words just can describe it,” he said. “And for the baby to come on Cheryl’s birthday ... it’s almost like Kyle and God had planned it that way; it’s as if they had their own game plan. This is truly a wonderful blessing for us all.”