Woman gives birth outside Indy grocery store
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — When you’re planning something as monumental as your child’s birth, there are a lot of important decisions to make, like best facility and experienced doctors. But one mom’s plans went out the window when she was forced to give birth in a grocery store parking lot.
The afternoon of July 12, Ashley Hair started having contractions. They weren’t happening close enough to one another, so she decided to stay home. Late that night, her water broke. She and her husband Ayinde jumped into the car and sped to the hospital, a 15 to 20-minute drive. After that, things simply didn’t go as planned.
A 911 dispatcher asked for an address, and that’s where the Hair family’s story gets interesting.
“I’m trying to get to the hospital,” said Ayinde Hair.
“I understand that, but I want you to stop wherever you can so I can get the closest medic to you,” said the 911 dispatcher.
The closest stop was Fresh Thyme, as in the grocery store: Fresh Thyme on 86th Street and Township Line Road. Ashley gave birth to baby Azariah in the front seat of her car, in the parking lot.
“We had planned to go to IU North, in time to get up there and be in a room, have everything set up,” she said.
But the baby didn’t really care about their plans. When Ashley’s water broke, her husband tried to get her to the hospital.
“We headed out. I called 911, just because we weren’t sure if we were going to make it,” he said.
Ayinde was right. Less than one hour after his wife’s water broke, Azariah hurried his way into this world.
“He was insistent,” said Ashley. She added, “Nothing was holding him back. Not even me trying to hold him back.”
Ayinde helped Ashley deliver the baby, along with help from the 911 dispatcher who coached them through the whole thing. Thursday morning, first responders met with the Hairs, fittingly at Fresh Thyme.
“This is something that happens in the movies. It’s not something that happens on a daily basis. Somebody delivers at one in the morning, delivers a baby in the Fresh Thyme parking lot,” said Emily Wheatfill, who is a paramedic.
Azariah, nicknamed “Fresh Baby,” already has a story to tell with so much love from his family, who also couldn’t wait for his arrival.
“I love this little guy with all my heart. He’s a special, special boy,” said Ashley.
The EMS director at St. Vincent Indianapolis awarded the dispatcher with a special pin for his work. Azariah is sleeping through most of the night, and mom is recovering well.