CORONAVIRUS: STRONGER TOGETHER
Airbnb Rental Leads To Accidental Quarantine Family
May 27, 2020, 7:45 AM | Updated: 7:54 am
OGDEN, Utah – Sylvia Newman and her husband have hosted families from around the world through their Airbnb rental, but it’s their latest guests who will be the most cherished.
“They are a very sweet couple and then when we heard their story it was very fascinating,” Sylvia Newman said. “We were like ‘wow, okay this will be fun’.”
In February, the Newmans got a reservation request from a couple from China. Laura and Ben were headed to Utah to pick up their twin boys. Since the couple struggled with infertility, they worked with a surrogate.
The babies were due in March and out of fear of being stuck in China due to coronavirus restrictions, the couple flew to the U.S.
“We are afraid if we can’t go to America then the babies – nobody will take care of them,” Laura said.
Since surrogacy is not allowed in China, talking about their experience is something the couple does with caution. They agreed to share their story with KSL using their English names, Laura and Ben.
The couple said their journey to the beehive state started with a 14-day layover in California.
“We stayed in L.A. and did a self-quarantine for 14 days,” Laura said.
The couple then began their stay at the Ogden home with their new baby boys, Jenson and Kyson. Between both couples, the boys get plenty of care.
”When they are eating and the babies start to cry, I say, ‘Let me hold them so you can at least finish your meal,'” Newman said.
The extra help has been a blessing for Laura and Ben, who said taking care of newborns without support would have been impossible.
“We feel like we are a member of their family,” Laura said.
The couples have become close through this experience and have even bonded through hiking, playing games and cooking together.
“Sylvia is always making many delicious foods. Ben enjoys it very much,” Laura said.
The couple has a flight booked back to China in mid July but are still awaiting the twins’ passports.
Both families said the experience has been one they will never forget, and they have plans to visit each other in the near future.
“Now we have a whole family,” Newman said. “I think we kind of needed each other.”
