Weird News Stories 2015: 2 Babies Born on the Side of Highway 24 in California in Two Days
The California Highway Patrol has unofficially renamed Highway 24 in Contra Costa County as "The Miracle Highway" after two babies were safely delivered on the high-speed freeway within 48 hours of one another.
According to the CHP, the first baby was born on the side of state Highway 24 Wednesday morning, while the second was born Thursday evening, KTVU reports.
The first birth happened Wednesday, just before 7:30 a.m. during the morning rush hour. Tommy Elmesewdy said he was on his way to the hospital in Walnut Creek, which is 30 minutes away from their home in El Sobrante, after his girlfriend began having labor pains earlier that morning.
"My water broke. Five minutes later it was on," Sabrina Cheung told KTVU.
The couple was halfway to the hospital when they realized the delivery could not wait, however.
That's when Elmesewdy, a computer engineer, pulled over near Acalanes Road in Lafayette and ran to the passenger's side. He then positioned Cheung's legs toward him outside the door as she pushed.
"It didn't take very long at all. I just tried to help her to the best of my ability. I cupped my arms in position to make sure I held onto him. She pushed a few times, and he was here," he said, according the San Jose Mercury News.
"I was like, 'Oh, my god, I can't believe this,'" the mother added.
Minutes later, the three of them drove to the John Muir Medical Center.
"It hit me, I can't believe I delivered my son. That's surreal," Elmesewdy said. "We have a healthy baby, and we have an unbelievable story that we can tell forever."
Ironically, less than 48 hours later, officials say another birth occurred at 5:30 p.m. Thursday on the same road, near the Interstate Highway 680 interchange, reports ABC 7 News.
CHP officer John Fransen said a new father was driving his pregnant wife to a hospital, but he pulled over to the right-hand shoulder of the highway when he realized his wife had begun delivering their son. He then helped his wife delivered a healthy baby boy.
Fransen added both babies and their mothers are doing well.
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