Chapel Hill Fire Captain David Sasser has attended several unexpected births in his eighteen years as a firefighter, but he never thought one of those would be his own daughter.

“Right on South Columbia Street between Carolina Inn and Sitterson Hall, Kayleigh Ruth Sasser was born into the world,” says Sasser.

Sasser’s wife Vanessa went into labor Monday night, so the couple began the 45 minute drive from their home near Sanford to the Women’s Birth and Wellness Center in Chapel Hill. They almost made it.

“We were about five stoplights from the Birthing Center and labor had progressed to about a minute and a half [between] contractions and she just felt like she had to push.”

Although Vanessa gave birth in the truck, her water never broke, meaning the baby was still encased in the amniotic sac. Luckily, Sasser knew just what to do.

“I immediately pulled over and went from excitement and nervousness and fear into work mode,” say Sasser. “Somehow in one fell swoop I parked the truck on the side of the road on the sidewalk, broke the bag of waters, and called 911.”

Fire and medical personnel responded to the scene, including the fire truck Sasser usually rides on. Mother and baby were transported to UNC Women’s Hospital for observation, but Sasser says everyone is doing fine.

While he was there to help after the birth, Sasser says full credit goes to Vanessa, who delivered the baby herself while the pick-up truck was in motion.

“I always thought that childbirth is a natural thing and women have been doing it for thousands of years. My wife proudly showed me that.”

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