Amber and Bryan Marshall will have quite a story to tell when little Josie Reneé is old enough to ask about her birth day. Not many people can say they were born on a highway in a “pallbearer car.”
But that’s exactly what happened this morning on State Highway 19 just south of Sulphur Springs. Amber’s labor progressed quickly and Josie was born in a Chevrolet Suburban used to transport pallbearers to funerals under the direction of the Grand Saline funeral home where Bryan works.
Mom, dad and baby were fine and recovering well at Hopkins County Memorial Hospital later Tuesday morning.
“I’d wanted to have one natural, and this was,” Amber Marshall said with a laugh late Tuesday morning. “It was pretty interesting. It was pretty fast.”
Amber explained that her doctor, Sulphur Spring obstetrician Somjai Tris, had scheduled for her to report Thursday to Hopkins County Memorial Hospital to induce labor. Her two oldest daughters, Sarah and Briley were born at HCMH. Triston, her oldest child, was born in Texarkana.
While she wasn’t looking forward to being at the hospital all day, she didn’t exactly plan to deliver in a Suburban, either.
Amber’s water broke around 5 a.m., so she and Bryan began getting ready to make the trip from Grand Saline to Sulphur Springs, then called the hospital to alert them she was coming in.
As they got closer to Sulphur Springs, however, it quickly became apparent to Amber that her labor was progressing quickly.
“I had a really bad contraction,” she said, recalling that she urged her husband to hurry. “It seemed like everyone was going 50. Bryan was passing people on the left. People were honking. ... We were in his funeral director’s car. I kept thinking, ‘I can’t have my baby in this car. I can’t have her in a pallbearer car.’”
The situation intensified rapidly. Amber said she had two more sizable contractions before Josie Reneé “just came out in my pants.”
Bryan called 911 on his cell phone at 6:48 a.m. He told Hopkins County Sheriff’s Communication Supervisor Ron Lowrie he was on State Highway 19 just south of Interstate 30 on the way to the hospital, and that Amber had delivered the baby.
Lowrie said he asked if the baby was breathing, and when Bryan was not sure, urged him to pull over. While still on the line with Bryan, Lowrie got on the radio to HCMH Emergency Medical Services dispatcher Justin Taylor to get an ambulance on the way, then sent the nearest sheriff’s officer to the scene.
“I could hear the woman screaming in the background, then we heard the baby cry,” Lowrie said.
HCSO Cpl. Dennis Findley arrived first, followed shortly by deputies Todd Evans and Brad Cummings. Officers helped calm the parents and checked that baby and mom were OK. Onvr certain the baby could breathe, officers made sure little Josie was kept warm, and offered as much modesty for Amber as possible until EMS arrived. Findley also encouraged Bryan to take pictures for the wild tale he’d have to share after it was all over.
Officers helped position the mom and baby, still connected by the umbilical cord, for comfort and safety and waited with them.
“While we waited for the ambulance, deputy Findley told us that he’s been doing this for 17 years, but this is the first time he’s experienced anything like this,” Amber recalled.
Susie Bain and Shane Yarbrough with Hopkins County EMS soon arrived in the ambulance to cut the cord, check the baby and put Amber on a cot just as it began to lightly sprinkle.
“They were really helpful. Everybody was real sweet,” said Amber.
“They did a great job. We appreciate their help,” said Bryan.
Amber Marshall admitted the whole ordeal was “pretty scary,” but she and little Josie wre doing well in the postpartum ward at HCMH, surrounded by their three other children, grandparents and friends.
Josie Reneé weighed 6 pounds, 13 ounces and was 19 inches long. She is the sister of Triston, Sarah and Briley Marshall of Grand Saline. Her grandparents are Ronny and Beverly Stinson and Troy Marshall, all of Grand Saline, Tommy and Stephanie Potter of Gurdon, Ark., and Ronnie Carpenter of Myrtle Springs. Pat and Beth Fisher of Grand Saline are her great-grandparents.
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written by a guest , November 10, 2011
Wow, what a delivery. I'm not sure the way you went about this was actually "natural" but . . .Congrats. Everyone at Hope Pregnancy Center sends their love and are thankful you and baby Josie are ok. Hugs, Shirley
written by a guest , November 10, 2011
written by a guest , November 08, 2011
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