WATCH: It was a whirlwind ride to the airport for Sabrina Gauthier, who gave birth to her daughter Sophia on a Kirkland service road during la Fête Nationale celebrations. Global’s Sarah Volstad reports.
VAUDREUIL – When Sabrina Gauthier started having contractions Tuesday night, she knew her baby girl was on its way.
But she didn’t realize how soon she’d be arriving.
“The contractions were weak but then I realized it’s time to go,” said Gauthier.
Gauthier had left her Vaudreuil home with her husband and headed for the Lakeshore General Hospital around 10:30 pm, just as the Fête Nationale fireworks were coming to an end.
The streets were clogged with cars leaving the festivities and the couple struggled to get through the traffic – they even drove down a one-way street in the wrong direction to avoid the throngs of people.
“We got yelled at,” said Gauthier’s husband, Luc Prud’homme.
“People weren’t too happy until they realized that my wife was in labour.”
Eventually, a Good Samaritan came by to help them.
“He was jogging in front of the car, clearing the way, explaining to people and making sure we could get out as fast as we could,” said Prud’homme.
The young family finally got to the highway but only made it as far as the service road near the Saint-Charles exit in Kirkland when Gauthier told her husband to pull over; the baby wasn’t going to wait any longer.
By the time Prud’homme stopped, got out of the car and made his way over to the passenger door, his daughter – Sophia – had been born, right there on the seat of the car.
Paramedics arrived on the scene to bring Gauthier and baby Sophia to the hospital, where they were checked by doctors and given a clean bill of health.
The family is now back at home, still in disbelief from the week’s events, but excited to start the next chapter of their life with their second little girl.
“All the people that hear the story can’t believe it, even us,” said Gauthier.
“It’s incredible.”
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