Baby Born on Delta Flight Thanks to Two Off-Duty Medics

Ashley Blair thought she had plenty of time to reach her mom in Oregon for the birth of her daughter. But baby Brielle had other plans, arriving two weeks early at 30,000 feet.

The Tennessee mom went into labor just half an hour before her Delta flight from Atlanta was scheduled to land in Portland on Friday night. With 153 passengers packed into the Boeing 737, she needed help fast.

Two paramedics returning home from vacation in the Dominican Republic answered the call. Tina Fritz and Kaarin Powell had been helping a nurse with another passenger when a flight attendant asked them to check on Blair.

They found her in active labor with contractions coming close together. The full flight meant creative problem solving as they moved passengers to make room for the delivery.

When flight attendants couldn't find blankets or an obstetrical kit, the paramedics improvised. Other passengers donated blankets while a flight attendant offered up a shoelace to tie off the umbilical cord. Powell even tore out her own shoelace to use as a tourniquet for an IV.

Then Blair announced it was time to push. But so did the pilot, as the plane prepared to land.

Flight attendants told Fritz and Powell to sit down for landing. Their response was immediate: "No! No!"

Blair gave three strong pushes and Brielle arrived quickly and healthy. Powell cut the cord and sat down holding the newborn just as the wheels touched the runway.

Sunny's Take

The baby "pinked up right away," Fritz said, using medical shorthand for healthy color returning to skin. "She was gorgeous. Mom was a rock star."

After the plane taxied to the gate, they handed Brielle to her mom. Passengers celebrated with photos of the newest arrival. Portland Airport Fire & Rescue met the plane and transported the healthy mother and daughter to a local hospital for observation.

Fritz has stayed in touch with Blair since that extraordinary Friday night. Despite feeling overwhelmed by media attention, the new mom has found a silver lining in the experience.

"I feel like we're friends now forever," Fritz said.