Nope.
Instead, our above the fold story today is this:
Bill Shepard of Brudenell celebrates his 50th birthday today, but the milestone event will be much quieter than the news sensation he caused on June 12, 1959, at the hospital in Montague.
Shepard came into the world weighing a staggering 16 lbs., 4.5 ozs. By one year of age, he was 36 lbs.
The size of the baby was considered almost unprecedented at the time. His birth resulted in a front-page story in The Guardian, and coverage in newspapers across Canada and the United States.
Dr. Preston MacIntyre, a medical legend in Montague, was the presiding physician as Florence Shepard delivered her ninth and last baby by natural childbirth. As a thank you to the doctor, the child was baptized William Preston Shepard.
Despite the obvious potential to be a very tall and large man, today Shepard is a normal six-foot-two and weighs approximately 200 lbs.
James Shepard and his wife raised their nine children on the Seven Mile Road near Cardigan. James passed away more than 20 years ago and his wife Florence died of cancer in 1997 at aged 74.
Dan Shepard of Seven Mile Road, a brother of Bill, says their mother was a small woman of Acadian descent, (nee Fougere) from West Arichat, Cape Breton Island. Dan said this week that he heard lots of stories over the years resulting from his brother’s famous birth.
“There was a guest book at the hospital signed by numerous people,” said Dan. “After Bill came home from the hospital, many people, including complete strangers, came to the house just to catch a glimpse of the newborn celebrity.”
Another of Bill’s siblings, Stella, also had stories to add. “After Bill came home, Mom was still in the hospital. So Dad had to take Bill to a neighbour to take care of him till Mom got home a week or so later,” said Stella, who was five years old at the time. “Dad drove Bill in his old truck, using his arm as a seat belt around Stella who was trying to hold on to Bill,” added Dan.
Bill became a well-known cook in the area, working for 10 years at the Whim Inn in Poole’s Corner.
After the Whim Inn closed its doors, Bill got employment with the provincial government.
Bill and his wife Aura Lee reside in Brudenell.
Now, I know I might sound cynical here, but this? This? This is breaking news here on PEI? Honest to heaven and I do not kid, this is the type of news coverage we get EVERY DAY HERE.
Is it well written? I think not! Did you see the sentence that started with James Shepard - who the hell is James Shepard? I thought the story was about Bill Shepard? Not until you see the reference to Florance do you think maybe James was the father! How about the fact that this BIG STORY only quotes his siblings, despite the fact that HE STILL LIVES ON PEI? Why wasn't he interviewed?
Makes me think I could get a job at The Guardian. Clearly they don't require a journalism degree in their reporters. Ugh.
