Soldier Hears Son's Birth Through Cell Phone

SHELBYVILLE, Ind. -- It's not the same as actually being there, but a Shelbyville man was able to experience the birth of his first child in an unlikely way two weeks ago.

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This Is The Only Picture The Father Has Seen Of His Son

When Army soldier Shawn Pahnke (pictured, below) shipped out for Germany last month, he left behind a pregnant wife who wasn't scheduled to give birth for another couple of weeks, RTV6's Sy Jenkins reported.

But his son decided he was coming 11 days early, and Pahnke happened to call when his wife Elisha was in the delivery room.

Elisha Pahnke's grandmother and mother were also in the delivery room at the time, and were able to take his call.

"I said, 'Oh my God Shawn, the baby's coming right now,'" Elisha's grandmother, Rosa Walcott, said. "He started screaming and sounded like he wanted to pass out."

The call went through just in time for the new father to hear the birth of his son, Dean.

"We found out he was a boy at the exact same time, we heard his first cry at the exact same time -- it was very emotional," Elisha Pahnke said.

The couple were married in 2002 after meeting on the Internet and Shawn Pahnke started basic training less than a week later, Jenkins reported.

A photo on the hospital's Web site is all that the father has seen of his son.

His job in the Army is driving a tank, and there's a good chance he could be driving one in Iraq soon, Jenkins reported.

Elisha Pahnke said she's scared about that possibility, but the family plans to eventually be reunited in Germany.