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gopiscrap

(24,219 posts)
Mon Feb 5, 2024, 09:31 PM Feb 2024

The baby, I delivered when I was 19......

The summer I was 19 years old, I was working on a national singing tour for the Lutheran Church. Myself and 6 others went from town to town in a van. One night on our once a week day off, just the guys on the team took the van and went from Evansville, IN to Memphis TN. On our way back to Evansville coming into Owensboro KY about 2 in the morning, a car passed us at a high rate of speed. Very soon that same car was on the side of the road and was smoking, the young man driving it was waving a towel for some one to help him.

We stopped and inside the car was his 17 year old partner pregnant as can be and whose water had just broken. The young man stayed with the car and sent his partner with us to the hospital about 9 miles away. On our way, her little baby was born. Scared the crap out of me, I had no clue about child birth and neither did the other three guys that were with me. We were all aged 19-23.

Once we got her to the hospital and settled, we exchanged names and phone numbers etc. Through the years the parents of Christopher wrote to me and I got to know him. They had made us four honorary Godparents of Christopher. He has struggled in his young adulthood but today he emailed me out of the blue and told me that he has graduated college with a four year degree in computers. I was very happy. I am also grateful to have been a part of that.

I know it's not important in the scheme of poitics but it made my day and I wanted to share.

Thanks Mike C

56 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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The baby, I delivered when I was 19...... (Original Post) gopiscrap Feb 2024 OP
Nice! elleng Feb 2024 #1
Cool story in a world starved for good news...nt Wounded Bear Feb 2024 #2
great story; thanks for sharing! diva77 Feb 2024 #3
That's a wonderful story. Thanks for sharing that. yardwork Feb 2024 #4
Thank you for sharing this! Hope22 Feb 2024 #5
This just had to make your day! An experience you'll never forget Deuxcents Feb 2024 #6
Great story! Thanks! Easterncedar Feb 2024 #7
Lovely story. How sweet. Srkdqltr Feb 2024 #8
Thanks for sharing this wonderful story! They should make it into a movie. pnwmom Feb 2024 #9
omg I don't know gopiscrap Feb 2024 #13
So nice, that's wonderful ... Thanks for sharing! 🙂 nt Raine Feb 2024 #10
Oh, that's wonderful. nolabear Feb 2024 #11
That's a beautiful story. StarryNite Feb 2024 #12
I'm happy for you. herding cats Feb 2024 #14
What wonderful experience! FemDemERA Feb 2024 #15
Oh, Mike, that is just the most wonderful story, and I am so very glad that niyad Feb 2024 #16
thank you so very much gopiscrap Feb 2024 #22
What a wonderful story! Thank you for sharing! AllyCat Feb 2024 #17
Wonderful story. LoisB Feb 2024 #18
What a great story. Gave me goosebumps. yonder Feb 2024 #19
Mike C -- how lovely & thanks for sharing Hekate Feb 2024 #20
thank you so much for all your kind words gopiscrap Feb 2024 #21
Your story brightened my day -- many thanks for sharing! fierywoman Feb 2024 #23
Awesome story! What a day brightener! colorado_ufo Feb 2024 #24
Super eye-opener for a group of teens pfitz59 Feb 2024 #25
So heartwarming! ScratchN Feb 2024 #26
Sweet story malaise Feb 2024 #27
What a delightful story and so well written. llmart Feb 2024 #28
A heartwarming story on a cold morning... Tom_Foolery Feb 2024 #29
That is wonderful!!!! GeoWilliam750 Feb 2024 #30
MAGAts would not have stopped COL Mustard Feb 2024 #31
Good people do good things Old Crank Feb 2024 #32
TY for sharing your wonderful story. God's blessings to all in the story, debm55 Feb 2024 #33
What a wonderful story! pandr32 Feb 2024 #34
Okay, something got in my eyes. Beautiful memories! Emile Feb 2024 #35
Great story LetMyPeopleVote Feb 2024 #36
What a great story, I am also from Owensboro! KYBlue Feb 2024 #37
we were nine miles out, I was so scared... gopiscrap Feb 2024 #49
It doesn't have to be in the history books to be an important piece of history DFW Feb 2024 #38
Oooo, pleasant goose bumps and dry eye lubrication. Thanks!! Pacifist Patriot Feb 2024 #39
What we do to help each other is the grandest scheme. Solly Mack Feb 2024 #40
Thanks for sharing that great story! -nt CrispyQ Feb 2024 #41
Hearts to you and the others. twodogsbarking Feb 2024 #42
In the scheme of things, this IS important Attilatheblond Feb 2024 #43
Beautiful story and gift. appleannie1 Feb 2024 #44
True Christianity yankee87 Feb 2024 #45
What a great thing to happen! KT2000 Feb 2024 #46
Thank you Cherokee100 Feb 2024 #47
welcome to DU gopiscrap Feb 2024 #48
Awwwwwwww... LOVE this! calimary Feb 2024 #50
It takes a village .... perfessor Feb 2024 #51
Not important? You cant know how and who will be affected due to the Karadeniz Feb 2024 #52
Wonderful, Mike. 🥰 blm Feb 2024 #53
This story is beautiful MorbidButterflyTat Feb 2024 #54
What a neat thing to do. greatauntoftriplets Feb 2024 #55
You stepped up and helped IbogaProject Feb 2024 #56

Hope22

(3,106 posts)
5. Thank you for sharing this!
Mon Feb 5, 2024, 09:41 PM
Feb 2024

I love that the godfathers stayed in the picture. Congratulations to all! 😁💗

Deuxcents

(20,151 posts)
6. This just had to make your day! An experience you'll never forget
Mon Feb 5, 2024, 09:44 PM
Feb 2024

And neither did Christopher. I’d say you had a big part of it and yes, it’s good news! So nice to have a positive post with all the crazy stuff out there. 🙏

pnwmom

(109,638 posts)
9. Thanks for sharing this wonderful story! They should make it into a movie.
Mon Feb 5, 2024, 09:52 PM
Feb 2024

Who would play the four of you? And the laboring mom?

nolabear

(43,280 posts)
11. Oh, that's wonderful.
Mon Feb 5, 2024, 09:58 PM
Feb 2024

I hope he tells that story. What a very real and raw way to come into the world! Ya done good.

herding cats

(19,619 posts)
14. I'm happy for you.
Mon Feb 5, 2024, 10:10 PM
Feb 2024

That's one of those unexpected, yet beautiful, things which shape our lives. 🥰

niyad

(120,673 posts)
16. Oh, Mike, that is just the most wonderful story, and I am so very glad that
Mon Feb 5, 2024, 10:18 PM
Feb 2024

you chose to share it with us. Do not tell yourself that it is not important, because it is! Real people, real lives, and sometimes miracles.

Blessings to you and your friends, and best wishes for this young man. What a wonderful way to start this lunar new year of the Dragon.

gopiscrap

(24,219 posts)
22. thank you so very much
Mon Feb 5, 2024, 11:30 PM
Feb 2024

sometimes things happen to you that you think other people might just say so what, but that night is a part of my life narrative and I do tell about to folks. I am just grateful that he reached out to me.

AllyCat

(17,225 posts)
17. What a wonderful story! Thank you for sharing!
Mon Feb 5, 2024, 10:20 PM
Feb 2024

Delivering a baby on the side of the road would be stressful for a knowledgeable practitioner. Cannot imagine how you felt!

How special he contacted you!

yonder

(10,008 posts)
19. What a great story. Gave me goosebumps.
Mon Feb 5, 2024, 10:51 PM
Feb 2024

Good on Christopher for getting on track and to honor his "Godfathers in a Van".

Thanks for sharing Mike C!

gopiscrap

(24,219 posts)
21. thank you so much for all your kind words
Mon Feb 5, 2024, 11:24 PM
Feb 2024

Last edited Tue Feb 6, 2024, 12:03 AM - Edit history (1)

I was blown away today, that he would think that I influenced him for the better. I have only spoken to him 6 or 7 times in my and his life. I remember that night so well. This was my first real "serious" job and not only was I terrified that we would some how hurt the new mom or her baby, but I was terrified, I would get fired. The one time I would have loved to have seen a cop around, but none was found. It is a story I do tell often, it is one of those once in a life time events that becomes a part of your life narrative.

llmart

(16,331 posts)
28. What a delightful story and so well written.
Tue Feb 6, 2024, 05:05 AM
Feb 2024

There are moments in our lives that just stick with us and become a part of us. You and your friends were young but still had the presence of mind to know exactly what to do. How amazing that you kept in touch. Thank you for sharing this.

Tom_Foolery

(4,703 posts)
29. A heartwarming story on a cold morning...
Tue Feb 6, 2024, 05:12 AM
Feb 2024

A perfect example of the compassion that exists in humans. We need more people like you. By the way, I live in Owensboro. Thank you!!!

COL Mustard

(6,989 posts)
31. MAGAts would not have stopped
Tue Feb 6, 2024, 06:08 AM
Feb 2024

They would have been afraid of getting robbed or something. They've fallen a long way from the ideals of Christianity.

KYBlue

(33 posts)
37. What a great story, I am also from Owensboro!
Tue Feb 6, 2024, 07:46 AM
Feb 2024

Really liked your story, and was surprised it happened in my hometown. I'm glad to know you helped the young mother and baby. Unfortunately this area is overrun with rabid Trump supporters and racists, who wouldn't help anyone these days. We need more kind hearted people like you in this area.

gopiscrap

(24,219 posts)
49. we were nine miles out, I was so scared...
Tue Feb 6, 2024, 03:39 PM
Feb 2024

and just raced to the hospital with the young lady, didn't make it in time. We just put her baby on her stomach, didn't break the umbilicle cord and had her wheeled in when we got to the hospital. I have never been back to Owensboro but would like to. This happened on July 19, 1977 my final day of being a teenager.

DFW

(56,896 posts)
38. It doesn't have to be in the history books to be an important piece of history
Tue Feb 6, 2024, 07:50 AM
Feb 2024

I'm sure 99% of extremely significant events are unknown to most of the world.

They are no less significant, believe me. Your friend Christopher will attest to that.

Attilatheblond

(4,563 posts)
43. In the scheme of things, this IS important
Tue Feb 6, 2024, 10:32 AM
Feb 2024

The connections we make, even the ones we consider minor, can sometimes have great impact on others. Those connections can fire back up at the oddest times and only towards the ends of our own lives are we likely to see the beautiful weave of the net our casual connections helped make.

yankee87

(2,384 posts)
45. True Christianity
Tue Feb 6, 2024, 01:30 PM
Feb 2024

What you did is an amazing feat. You truly followed in the teaching of my Lord, Jesus Christ.

perfessor

(290 posts)
51. It takes a village ....
Tue Feb 6, 2024, 07:26 PM
Feb 2024

And sometimes, a carload. Thank you for being a part of the good in the world.

Karadeniz

(23,549 posts)
52. Not important? You cant know how and who will be affected due to the
Tue Feb 6, 2024, 07:28 PM
Feb 2024

ripple effect of any one action!!!!

IbogaProject

(3,785 posts)
56. You stepped up and helped
Wed Feb 7, 2024, 03:23 PM
Feb 2024

And it seems you really helped by staying in contact. The emotional boost of any extra birthday cards or other occasional contact would have been good, doubly if his parents were of modest means.

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