Dad Makes it Home to New Jersey From Afghanistan in Time to See Baby's Birth

Staff Sgt. Colin Craig says his new son takes after his dad, "He's doing pushups on my chest." (MyFoxNy.com)

It took him five days, but Staff Sgt. Colin Craig made it from Afghanistan to his New Jersey just a day before for his son's birth.

The baby was going to be delivered this month by C-section whether Craig made it home or not.

Craig had leave. But it turned out to be a longer than expected journey halfway across the world to his wife Susan and his daughters in Fanwood.

He tells The Star-Ledger he had one flight canceled, another one delayed by six hours and a third late enough he barely made his connection.

“I was like, ‘Now I’m pushing it,”’ he told MyFoxNy.com. “Am I going to get home?”

Craig made it home a day before his son, also named Colin, was born earlier this month.

“All the stress of being away from them was lifted,” he said. The baby is healthy though he's due to have lung surgery in coming months.

Craig, meanwhile, is set to spend a few more days at home and then depart for Afghanistan to rejoin his fellow troops.

“He takes after his dad,” Craig said, choking up. “He’s doing pushups on my chest.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.