What started as an unexpected home delivery for two Iowa parents turned out to be a touching testament to the blessing of living in community.
Scotty Abram and his pregnant wife, Cassy, were sent home from the hospital this week after doctors determined delivery was still a while off. To say their calculations were off is an understatement — just minutes after arriving home and calling first responders, Scotty was holding his newborn son, Scotty Jr.
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“EMT arrived about 10 minutes later and they let dad cut the umbilical cord on the living room floor,” Cassy’s aunt, Larissa Ruffin, told CNN.
“I was delivering a baby the next minute, and then the fire department showed up and they were calm, cool and [collected],” Scotty told KFXA-TV.
Things went as smoothly as they could, given the circumstances, but it’s what happened after Monday’s surprise delivery that left a lasting impression on the new parents.
As Cassy and Scotty were wheeled out of the house to accompany the EMTs back to the hospital, they witnessed a heartwarming scene that touched them deeply: firefighters present for the ordeal performing one last act of service.
“After they got mom and baby in warm blankets on the stretcher and ‘Dr. Dad’ was ready to go, we went outside and saw the firemen finishing shoveling their long drive,” Ruffin told CNN. “I was in such awe of their selflessness! It’s amazing what some will do for others without knowing anything about them. It was not their job to come and shovel.”
Ruffin explained that with all of the excitement of the home delivery, the snowy driveway was the last thing on their minds. But for firefighter Shane Mell, it was simply a matter of meeting a need.
“We realized there was quite a bit of snow in the driveway we started requesting some additional help from other units,” he told KFXA.
Some of the firefighters stuck around after their shifts to complete the chilly task.
“We do anything we can do to help the individuals that need help,” Mell said.
In a Facebook post, the Cedar Rapids Fire Department commended its firefighters for going above and beyond to bless the new parents.
The weather is cold, but this should warm your heart! Firefighters from Fire Station No. 5 helped deliver a baby this…
Posted by Cedar Rapids Fire Department on Monday, January 28, 2019
“The weather is cold, but this should warm your heart!” the department wrote, noting that the two firefighters pictured in the post arrived to the home in their own cars after receiving the call for backup.
And as for the Abram family, they couldn’t be happier. Scotty Jr., who weighed in at 6 lbs 8 oz, is doing very well.
“Everyone is healthy and happy,” Ruffin said. “It’s the little things that touch you in a moment like that.”
Speaking to KFXA, the Abrams shared a message with the Cedar Rapids firefighters:
“Thank you, God bless you and we really appreciate it.”