On Friday night, a passenger on a Delta flight from Atlanta to Portland went into labor mid-flight. A call went out for any medical professionals on the flight, and paramedics Tina Fritz and Kaarin Powell responded. The woman gave birth to a baby girl about 30 minutes before the flight made an emergency landing around 10 p.m.
Without the proper supplies and equipment, Fritz and Powell did their best to care for the woman. Fritz says they used items from passengers, including blankets and a shoestring provided by a flight attendant. The baby was delivered after three pushes, weighing 5 pounds, 8 ounces, measuring 18.5 inches long, and was healthy.
Reflecting on the delivery, Fritz calls the experience “a once-in-a-lifetime” event. A Delta spokesperson later thanked those who helped and wished the family well.
Source: USA TODAY
photo: GETTY