trucker delivers baby

Not making it to the hospital in time and having a baby in a car or on the side of the road is a common fear of most pregnant women, but imagine if you went into labor -- and had your baby delivered by an unlikely stranger, who also happened to be a truck driver? Yes, I'm serious, and no, I'm not quoting lyrics from a country song.

One trucker named Michael Hawthorne saw a man screaming on the side of the road on March 27, and when he realized the guy was pleading for help because his wife was in labor, Michael pulled over and came to the rescue to help deliver her baby. And believe it or not, this was actually the third baby that he's delivered roadside over the course of his trucking career. Isn't that amazing? Surprisingly, Mike's midwife skills may not entirely be a coincidence.

He learned his savvy birthing skills by watching his mother and grandmother deliver babies while he was growing up, as they are both midwives. Huh. Maybe he ought to think about starting a second career? Because it certainly seems like bringing babies into the world is in his blood.

And the best part is that Mike really seems to embrace his talents wholeheartedly. He has a birthing "kit" he keeps in his truck just in case, and it comes complete with latex gloves, a suction device, alcohol, cotton swabs, water, and even scissors for cutting the umbilical cord & shoelaces to tie it off. Geez! Is this guy prepared, or what?

Aside from his knowledge of how to safely deliver babies, he also has a knack for keeping the moms and dads calm and collected as well, which is no easy task considering the nature of the situations he finds them in. One thing's for sure, if you wind up going into labor on the side of the road, you can breathe a sigh of relief if you see Michael Hawthorne's truck pull over.

Take a look at the video clip below to hear more about Michael's experiences as a roadside hero.

Would you let a random truck driver deliver your baby?

 

Image via NBCPhiladelphia