A mid-air miracle unfolded on Friday night when a woman unexpectedly gave birth during a five-hour flight headed to Portland.
Delta flight 478, traveling from Atlanta to Portland, became the unlikely setting for a birth as a passenger went into labor, according to KPTV.
Fortunately, the flight had a doctor and two nurses among its passengers. They, alongside the flight attendants, sprang into action and successfully assisted in the delivery.
“It was truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience,” said Tina Fritz, an EMT from Oreong who was instrumental in the delivery, as she recounted the event to KOIN 6.
Fritz, along with her colleague and fellow EMT Caarin Powell, resourcefully utilized the limited medical supplies available on board to support the mother through the unexpected labor.
Fritz was traveling with fellow Oreong EMT Caarin Powell and the pair quickly made do with limited supplies aboard the flight to help the laboring mom.
“I asked for an OB kit, which they did not have. I asked for blankets, which they did not have. So I was like, okay, we need to get blankets from passengers.I need some shoestrings. So the flight attendant took his shoestring out, cut it for us,” Fritz said.
She said the baby luckily came quickly.
“She’s like, I gotta push, I gotta push. And within three really good pushes, the baby was out and doing perfect. Mom was a rock star, like, mom did so good,” Fritz said.
The baby was born safely 30 minutes before landing at Portland International Airport.
“I cut the cord and we wrapped her up, and they’re like, the plane is touching down, so Kaarin grab the seat. And I grabbed the seat. We didn’t get anything buckled, and we just landed,” the EMT said. “Then, we gave baby back to mom, and we taxied in, so the whole plane cheered for mom. It was great.”
Fellow passengers said the experience was surreal.
“It was pretty wild just to see it all happen,” a passenger told KPTV.
Atlanta resident Jess Cushenberry was on the flight with her daughter, Taylor, and said there was a prior medical emergency at the back of the plane before the woman went into labor.
“I actually didn’t know what was going on at first. And then somehow my seatmate found out that there was a baby being born,” Cushenberry told the outlet.
Cushenberry, who was just a few rows away from where the birth took place, said there were no signs of distress during the labor — and offered up her own blanket when the crew asked for one.
“I’ve given birth, and I’ve given birth naturally, so I know it is not a comfortable situation. And she wasn’t yelling or screaming or anything,” she said of the mom.
Cunshenberry also praised the in-flight crew for their efforts in delivering the baby safely in the unconventional setting.
“I mean, they probably went home and probably had a drink,” she said, laughing.
“But they really did a great job of doing their jobs and keeping everybody calm and sorted and organized.”
Upon landing, the mother and new bub were met by emergency medical services on the ground, who reported both were in “stable condition,” according to the Port of Portland.
“We extend our sincere thanks to the crew and medical volunteers on board who stepped in to provide care to a customer onboard prior to landing in Portland,” Delta spokesperson Sabrina Cole said, according to KOIN.
“The health and safety of our customers is always our top priority, and we wish the new family all the best.”
