Parents reunite with paramedic who delivered their baby in a moving ambulance

An Orange County mother who thought she still had weeks left in her pregnancy was happy to thank a paramedic for his help delivering her baby boy inside a moving ambulance on a busy freeway.

Key Takeaways:

• A woman went into labor unexpectedly at 38 weeks pregnant, but couldn't make it to the hospital on time due to a quick labor and rush-hour traffic.

• After a 911 call, an ambulance with a paramedic team met the woman on a busy freeway, transferring her to the ambulance, which made its way to the hospital.

• The baby boy, however, was born in the moving ambulance with the assistance of a paramedic, who was later reunited with the family.

The Backstory:

Yesenia Avila was expecting her second child at 38 weeks, and a checkup just the day before she gave birth had given no hint that her son’s birth was so close.

"It felt like a movie. It was just so fast," Avila admitted, in remarks cited by ABC7 News. 

However, just after getting out of a hot shower before nine in the morning that day, her husband already at work, said she "just felt like a big drop, like a sensation.” 

Avila’s sister‑in‑law began driving her to the hospital, with her contractions growing closer together while rush-hour traffic hampered their progress. They pulled over on the 22 Freeway and called 911.

Avila’s sister in law told the dispatcher: "My sister-in-law is in labor. Her conditions went from five minutes apart to three minutes apart. I don't think we're gonna be able to make it."

Emergency crews from the Orange County Fire Authority quickly arrived, and fire captain paramedic Greg Williams jumped into action with his crew, moving Avila into an ambulance, where Avila's baby boy, Emeric, began to arrive within moments while the vehicle headed to the hospital.

"Thank goodness for our excellent dispatching. They were guiding us," Williams said. "When I got her in the back of the ambulance, she stated 'I feel the urge to push', which for me is an indicator that it's time."

"I was like, 'No, I called you [to] just to escort me to the hospital. Try to get there. We can make it.' And he's like, 'no the baby's coming'," Avila said, recounting her shock.

A while later, Avila’s son Emeric was born inside the moving ambulance.

Her husband Daniel Diaz missed the delivery because he was at work, and things happened so quickly. "I was driving and I got the call. It's just like, 'You know what, just take it easy. The baby's here.' I was like 'What? I missed the whole delivery? I'm sorry.' And she's like, 'No, it's fine, he's healthy,'” Diaz told ABC7.

The Details:

In the weeks after Emeric’s birth, the family attempted to locate paramedic Greg Williams, whose name appeared on their son’s birth certificate, to thank him in person.

Finally, with baby Emeric dressed in a firefighter T‑shirt and red firetruck socks, the family was reunited with Williams at an OCFA station in Garden Grove.

"I just wanted to thank him because it meant a lot to me," Avila declared. 

Williams told ABC7 the reunion was deeply meaningful to him, and one of the most memorable incidents among the many calls he has attended. "We see a lot of the other side of things, so to see life, to see a baby being born, it's something to celebrate for sure," he said.

NBC Palm Springs noted: 

The reunion was filled with gratitude and emotion as Avila and her family thanked the first responders who helped guide them through a stressful and unforgettable experience. Mom and baby are now doing well, and the moment serves as a reminder of the critical role first responders play in life’s most unexpected situations.

The Bottom Line:

Williams and his crew treated both mother and child as patients deserving protection, which is important — particularly in a culture that too often characterizes pregnancy and motherhood as medical issues or burdens.