Today's Article

Coach Eddie Young Jr. knows how to 2relate to the kids. 

The assistant football coach and enrollment specialist at Brother Rice High School is 3technically a kid himself when you count how many 4leap day birthday's he's actually had. 

"When it comes, it's like Christmas, all year. So, I'm excited. I'll be 13."

"You will be 13. You look great." 

"Thank you. I'm big for my age."

This is his second leap day birthday he'll celebrate at Brother Rice. The first was in the late 80s when he was a 5sophomore at the school. 

"No special plans yet, but I do plan to go out to eat with my 6leap year sister."

You heard him right. His 'leap year sister' is Tara Shadd-Williams who dropped by the school with her husband to help 7mark their 8sharedbirthday of February 29, 1972. She and Eddie met back in the 90s. 

"I was bartending." 

"You were making the drink, so you were checking his age."

 "Yeah. And then we were just talking, and he was like, no way. Show me your ID's. So we showed each others' ID and couldn't believe it." 

And get this, Tara 9ended up introducing Eddie to his future bride. 

"He married my really good friend, childhood friend. So, I just can't 10get rid of him. He's here to stay." 

They've celebrated their shared birthday for years now. 

"We are more than friends. We are family." 

And while we were 11reminiscing, another leap year baby walked up-Brother Rice sophomore Emilio Jarbou. 

"My leap year brother. I'm 13 and you're turning 4. Good stuff, man. Enjoy it." 

What is the coolest thing about being a leap year baby? 

"I just think it's really 12iconic. It's just really unique." 

Their special birthday is needed because the 13solar year- one trip around to the sun-is not exactly 365 days. It's actually 365.24219 days. 

Without February 29 every four years, the calendar would be off by almost a full day. After 120 years it would 14be off by a month.