Woman Surprises Father-Figure Stepdad By Naming Her Newborn Son After Him

A beloved stepdad who was seen more like a father figure was brought to tears of pride when his stepdaughter surprised him by giving her newborn his name. For Bethany Ruvalcaba, 30, from Lake Arrowhead, California, her stepfather, Mario, has always been more like a father to her, having come into her life when she was just three years old. From day one, Bethany said, Mario stepped up to raise her and her brother like they were his own, also showing love and support to his grandchildren. And so, knowing she was set to welcome a newborn baby boy into the world, Bethany decided to give Mario the ultimate honor and thank you by naming the youngster after him. She had planned to present her newborn to Mario – who she calls her dad – in a blanket featuring his name, or on an announcement plaque in the hospital. But when the baby arrived eight weeks early, Bethany and her partner, Bryant Murga, 31, were forced to improvise, with Bryant walking Mario into the NICU. With Bethany still recovering from the birth and on a video call to Bryant, her partner then asked Mario if he wanted to know the name, before saying, "Elijah." Mario smiled, but then Bryant said "Elijah what?" before announcing his son's full name: Elijah Mario Murga. It was at that point that a visibly touched Mario began to well up, saying "Shut up!" from the shock of the gesture and wiping away tears from his eyes. The sweet moment was captured on June 14, Kaiser Fontana Medical Center, and Bethany later shared the clip on social media.