It will be an Easter Sunday one family will never forget after firefighters helped deliver a mother's baby boy in a hospital-bound fire truck in the wee hours of the morning.
Darrin Robert Yardley Jr. was due on April 5, so his family was prepared, but they weren't expecting it to happen at 1:37 a.m. along the highway.
It all started at 12:30 a.m. Sunday when Darrin and Melanie Yardley left Cheshire at 12:30 a.m. Melanie began having contractions quickly and it was hard to sit, so she had her husband, Darrin pull over on the side of Interstate 91 south. They stopped and called 911, parked near exit 9.
North Haven firefighters responded to the call of a woman in labor on the highway at about 1:12 a.m. Melanie was in the back of the car "in significant distress" when firefighters arrived, according to a news release from the department.
An AMR ambulance arrived to rush Melanie to the hospital, but it was stuck on the other side of the highway. The Yardleys' little guy just couldn't wait, so firefighters loaded her up in their rescue truck. Three firefighters, two EMTs and a paramedic rode with mom as they rushed to Yale-New Haven Hospital. The child was still in a hurry to enter the world and they helped deliver a healthy baby boy in the back of the truck as they neared exit 2 close to the New Haven hospital.
Darrin and Melanie Yardley and their 6-year-old daughter, Marissa were happy to welcome a little Darrin to their family on Easter. Marissa is at home after meeting her baby brother Sunday morning. Darrin said she was thrilled to hold him and be a big sister.
Darrin Yardley said the firefighters' response impressed him.
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"God bless them," he said. "Those guys were awesome."
Mom, dad and the baby are happy and healthy at the hospital and are expected to go home on Tuesday.
