A new baby has arrived in the Gerber family.
Akil “Sonny” McLeod of Arizona has been named the winner of Gerber’s 14th annual photo search contest.
According to a company press release, Sony caught the attention of a selection committee, the first of its kind to be comprised of parents of past Gerber babies.
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The winning photo captured the essence of Sonny’s name, showing him dressed in a bright yellow outfit with a toy sun dangling in the background.
As this year’s winner, Sonny Gerber Social media Implement channels and marketing campaigns throughout the year.
The McLeods received $25,000 in cash, a year’s worth of free Gerber products, and new clothes for Sonny. (The MacLeod family)
The McLeod family received $25,000 in cash, free Gerber products for a year, new clothes provided by Gerber Children’s Wear and other prizes from young children’s brands, the company said.
“Sonny immediately captured our hearts with his joyful smile and his family’s heartwarming demonstration of what it means to grow up with love.”
Gerber announced that it would match Sony’s prize money and donate it to the March of Dimes to support maternal and child health programs.
“After 14 amazing years of Photo Search, we are thrilled that this year our former Gerber Baby families joined us in selecting Sonny as the 2024 Gerber Baby,” Chandra Kumar, president of Nestle Nutrition (Gerber’s parent company) in Virginia, said in a statement.
“You can just see his smile, his attitude, it really made a positive impact,” said Sonny’s father, Akil McLeod. (The MacLeod family)
“Sonny quickly won our hearts with his joyous smile and the heartwarming ways his family showed us what it means to grow up with love,” she added.
In an interview with Fox News Digital, the McLeod family reacted to their son being named the new Gerber Baby.
“It’s amazing,” said Sonny’s father, Akil McLeod Sr. “He’s a bit of a celebrity, and he gets stuff sent to our house all the time.”
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“It’s just amazing,” he continued. “It’s a blessing and he’s really happy. This is great for him to be on the stage.”
Sonny’s mother, Dominique McLeod, agreed that her son’s victory had brought “so much” from the prize money to the charity donations.
Sonny was given this nickname so that he wouldn’t be confused with his father, Akil McLeod Sr., pictured here. (The MacLeod family)
This includes an additional $5,000 donation by Gerber to MANCAVE, a fatherhood program created in honor of the McLeod family through a collaboration between the Greater Phoenix Urban League, the City of Phoenix and My Brother’s Keeper.
“It’s all because we had a beautiful baby,” Dominique McLeod said with a laugh.
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Sonny McLeod, who turned one on June 20, “loves to eat” and is always happy, his parents said.
The family gave the baby a nickname to avoid confusing him with his father, Akil McLeod Sr.
Dominic McLeod, left, is pictured with Sonny McLeod, center, and Sonny’s 2-year-old sister, Sage McLeod. (The MacLeod family)
“I was lying in bed one day and the sun was shining through the window, just hitting my belly perfectly, and I was like, ‘Oh, Sonny,'” his mother said. “And we’ve been doing it ever since.”
Dominique McLeod said she received numerous comments about Sonny “looking like the Gerber baby,” which prompted her to enter her son in the contest.
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Though Sonny has already earned the title of “Gerber baby,” his parents are allowing him the freedom to pursue “whatever he wants” as he grows up.
“I hope it will have an impact on the world.”
“I just want him and my daughter to know that they can make this world what they want it to be,” his mother said.
“I hope it will do something good, that it will have an impact on the world. But I never want to put limitations on what they can or can’t do.”
Sage McLeod kisses baby Sonny McLeod on the head. (The MacLeod family)
“If my son said, ‘Mom, I want to be an astronaut,’ I would contact NASA and see how we can make that dream come true.”
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Akil McLeod stressed the importance of supporting the dreams of each and every child.
“I know what it’s like to have family and friends who aren’t supportive of your dreams and goals,” he says, “and I never want him to feel that way.”
