HENRICO COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) — It was a Father’s Day trip to the hospital that ended with an unexpected surprise for Blake and Victoria Currier, as the couple gave birth to their third child quicker than expected – in the front seat of their car.
At 7:00 p.m. on Sunday, June 18, Victoria’s water broke at their home in Goochland County. Soon after the couple got in the car and began the 30 minute drive to Henrico Doctors’ Hospital.
However, Blake said when Victoria had the urge to push, he pulled off Interstate 64 into the parking lot of the Best Buy on West Broad Street.
“She’s like ‘The baby is coming now, the baby is coming now,’” said Blake.
Blake called 9-1-1 while trying to make room in the backseat. But as he was opening the passenger door, he looked down, realized that River had started crowning and saw the top of his daughter’s head.
Still on the phone with the dispatcher, Victoria told Blake to grab the baby.
“So, the dispatcher officer tells us ‘wrap her in something, wrap her in something. Keep her warm,’” said Blake. “In the moment, I took the shirt off my back, wrapped my baby girl in it, sat her down on mom and minutes later the EMTs showed up.”
Given the wild circumstances, Blake says the delivery went smoothly.
“My heart rate went up,” says Blake. “I knew it was go-time, but in the moment, we all stayed calm, worked together as a team and delivered our baby girl.”
Since baby River’s birth did not take place in a hospital, she is in the NICU being monitored. Victoria and baby River are doing well and the family is set to leave the Henrico Doctors’ Hospital Tuesday morning.
