SAMMAMISH, Wash. — Little Melody Kober just couldn’t wait to make her entrance into the world.
She surprised her mom and dad—and the firefighters of Eastside Fire and Rescue Station 83.
On Wednesday morning, Jessica Kober noticed her contractions started to increase.
She was a week overdue, so her husband, Ryan, grabbed the keys and they headed to Swedish Medical Center in Issaquah.
“It was intense,” said Jessica. “We ended up hitting like every red light.”
It soon became clear they weren’t going to make it.
“Told my husband when we were at the intersection stopped at a stoplight, ‘Better call 911, this baby is coming!’” Jessica told KIRO 7 Morning Anchor John Knicely. “Wow, I'm going to start crying.”
Jessica happened to remember that Fire Station 83 was just around the corner so Ryan pulled in.
At that time, the firefighters were just alerted of an aid call to assist a mother giving birth.
They were loading up in their fire trucks when someone heard the pounding on the back doors.
“I tried all the doors and all the doors were locked,” said Ryan Kober. “So my next instinct was to bang on the windows and I banged on them as hard as I could.”
“It sounded like the door was going to come down,” said firefighter Ryan Anderson, who took part in his second delivery. “We're not used to the emergencies coming to us. We're usually going to the emergencies.”
They found Ryan and Jessica out back and quickly brought a stretcher to her.
They brought her inside and within three minutes of her parents' arrival at the fire station, baby Melody had arrived.
“When she came out and they put her on my chest I was just trying to stay calm for her,” said Jessica.
The firefighters told KIRO 7 it was a special moment for them.
“What an experience,” said Anderson. “Just amazing to bring a life into this world.”
Mom and dad were all smiles talking about it from their Swedish hospital room Thursday. And Ryan was very grateful it wasn’t him delivering the baby.
“I want to say thank you from the bottom of my heart,” said Ryan. “You guys are awesome.”
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