Fifth Byler sextuplet is ready to go home

By Times Staff Writer
Published November 10, 2007

WESLEY CHAPEL

Ryan Patrick Byler, who was listed in critical condition the day after his birth, is set to join four of his siblings at home today, leaving one sextuplet in the hospital.

Ben Byler, 30, and his wife, Karoline, 29, made history on Sept. 1 when they became parents to Brady Christopher, Eli Benjamin, Ryan Patrick, Jackson Robert, Charlie Craig and MacKenzie Margaret. The babies, Florida's first surviving sextuplets, were delivered by caesarean section at Bayfront Medical Center.

Babies must weigh at least 4 pounds, and be able to feed and breathe on their own to be released. Ryan, who weighed about 3 pounds at birth, now weighs about 7 pounds, Byler said.

Ryan was doing well, Byler said. His release will leave only his brother, Charlie Craig, still at All Children's Hospital in St. Petersburg.

A few weeks ago, Charlie was downgraded from fair to serious condition after he needed help with his breathing. This week his condition was upgraded to fair.

Byler said he expects Charlie to be coming home in the next few weeks. That could put all the babies - five boys and a girl - home for Thanksgiving.

The babies passed their eye exams, and the ones at home are due to be visited by pediatricians today, Byler said. Taking care of four of the babies at home was easier than he expected, he said.

TAMPA

Museum collection finds a temporary home

Art museum leaders on Friday voted to use the Centro Espanol de West Tampa building on N Howard Avenue as interim space while a new museum is under construction.

The existing building downtown must be vacated by January so it can be torn down to make way for a park. Construction of a new museum is expected to be finished by fall 2009.

In June, the Tampa Museum of Art board voted to move temporarily into a 6,000-square-foot space at the Tampa Convention Center, next to the Tampa History Center. But cost estimates to build out the space ballooned from $250,000 to $700,000.
 

TAMPA

Fire damages home where 9 people lived

A house fire Friday morning left four adults and five children without a home, according to Tampa Fire Rescue officials.

Crews were called to a fire at a single-story home at 9402 N 17th St. at 9:09 a.m.

A 37-year-old man suffered minor smoke inhalation after he tried to put out the fire with a garden hose. He was taken to University Community Hospital.

[Last modified November 9, 2007, 23:59:49]