LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WHAS11) -- April 15, 2000. It's the millennium celebration of Thunder Over Louisville. It's was an exciting time for everyone, but for one family it changed their lives forever.
“We get a phone call saying that my granddaughter is being born down at the Thunder Over Louisville and I'm like what do you mean she's being born at Thunder Over Louisville? Well, her mom went to Thunder Over Louisville because she always promised the kids she would take them, never disappointed them. She was down there and went into labor,” Bernadette Hereford, the grandmother said.
In true Thunder fashion, the streets were full and there was no way to get to the hospital. So in the middle of the sidewalk during one of Louisville's biggest celebrations, Thundasia Turner was born. Yes, her name is Thundasia. She is named after the famed fireworks show.
WHAS11 was there as the two-year-old celebrated her second birthday.
“The first year was everybody was asking me questions about her. But the second year has been real good. She's a really happy baby,” her mother told WHAS11 on her second birthday.
This is likely the last you heard of the baby born on the sidewalk during Thunder, but here we are sixteen years later and on Friday, Thundasia Turner will celebrate her 16th birthday.
“I'm just like them, a normal kid, not special. I'm just a kid with history behind her name and a strong young lady,” Thundasia Turner said.
Thundasia is now a sophomore at Central High School.
Like most teenagers, she has a close group of friends. But she said her true passion exists on the court. Even though a lot has changed she says her birthplace still follows her sixteen years later and it's something she's proud to call herself Thundasia.
“I get asked a lot so I'm kind of used to responding. But most people, they know. Like teachers walk up to me and they're like, 'I know you were born on Thunder Over Louisville' and yup. Yup, that's right,” she said.