Brothers become fathers within minutes of each other

A pair of brothers took sibling rivalry to a new extreme last Friday, as both welcomed their first born children into the world within six minutes of each other.

Brothers Michael and Marty Murren, originally from West Orange, knew they would become first-time fathers around the same time, but not as close as it ended up.

Marty Murren and his wife Jamie, of Whippany, were supposed to give birth to their son a week after Michael and Nanette Murren of Bloomfield were to give birth to their daughter.

But Marty and Jamie Murren's son wanted to make it a competition, and both wives went into labor around the same time on Friday.

Michael and Nanette Murreen went to St. Barnabas Hospital in Livingston, and Marty and Jamie Murren went to Morristown Medical Center. Other members of the Murren family split up between the two hospitals, hoping one would be born before the other and they would get to be present for both births.

LouAnn Trifiolis, whose sister Frances is now a grandmother for the first time to both children, said both hospital staffs and waiting rooms were aware of the coincidence. It became a bit of a competition in the delivery room and the waiting area to see who would be born first.

"They were saying things like 'come on, don't let your cousin beat you,'" said Trifiolis, who went to St. Barnabas. Her sister went to Morristown, and they called each other up to provide the play-by-play.

Michael and Nanette Murren welcomed Olivia Lucille at 10:23 p.m. at St. Barnabas Hospital.

Moments later at 10:29 p.m., Jamie Murren gave birth to Thomas Martin at Morristown Medical Center.

"When Olivia was born we called Morristown, and when they picked up they said Thomas was born," Trifiolis said. "Everyone was like 'what time, what time?'"

Olivia and Thomas are the first grandchildren of Frances and Thomas Murren of West Orange. Thomas is also the first grandchild of Thomas and Annmichele Mutascio of Whippany. Olivia is the second granddaughter of Ray and Wanda Feliciano.

Staff Writer Michael Izzo: 973-428-6636; mizzo@dailyrecord.com