Dispatcher Praised For Helping Utah Family Deliver Baby Over Phone
Apr 15, 2021, 11:17 PM | Updated: Apr 16, 2021, 12:00 am
AMERICAN FORK, Utah – A 911 dispatcher in Utah County has been credited for her role in helping a Utah County family deliver a baby over the phone.
It was baby number 5 for American Fork couple Jennifer and Graydon Clark. Baby Henry made his debut into the world earlier than expected.
He was born just after 8:30 a.m. Thursday.
Jennifer started getting contractions in the middle of the night, and they thought they would have more time to get to the hospital. She tried getting in the tub, thinking the contractions would slow, but instead they sped up.
Once Graydon got home from bringing their other children to school, little Henry was already coming.
Meet sweet Henry!
He came flying into this world a week early!! His parents share the story on why they’re grateful for the dispatchers in American Fork tonight on @KSL5TV
This story is wild and will make you smile! pic.twitter.com/xtHxZIdGxm
— Morgan Wolfe (@MorganWolfeKSL) April 16, 2021
The Clarks were just as surprised to see Henry come a week early as Heather Robinson was to hear it over the 911 call.
“911 what’s your emergency?” she asked.
“My wife is in labor,” Graydon told her.
Robinson was able to coach him through the delivery just by hearing what was going on and having him describe what he was seeing.
At one point, the umbilical cord was wrapped around Henry’s neck. She was able to talk Graydon through the process to ensure a safe delivery.
“Anytime something like that goes really well, you always feel good about it,” Robinson said.
She said she was just doing her job, but the Clarks said it made all the difference in those tense moments.
“Sorry if we yelled at you, Heather,” Graydon later told her.
Mom and baby were taken to the hospital and were doing well.
“(It was) one of the better deliveries I have had,” Jennifer said. “No complaints.”
“You hear all of these stories, and you never expect it will happen to you,” Graydon said.
Heather said dispatchers that help deliver a baby get a stork pin. Those kinds of calls don’t happen often, although this was the second labor call she has had in a week.
