‘Birthplace – Exit 5-Woodhaven’: Woman gives birth on the side of a highway in New York

On October 1, on the way to the hospital, 32-year-old Bellray Osborne realized that her baby was being born faster than her husband True could drive. She was 39 weeks pregnant, writes the New York Post. A woman gave birth in just one minute on the side of the Jackie Robinson Parkway.

After the expectant mother felt strong contractions, the couple began their journey from East New York to New York-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell at 7:30 a.m. Just 17 minutes later, when they reached downtown Manhattan, Bellray and True realized that the child was no longer willing to wait.

The contractions became more frequent, and Bellray demanded that her husband stop their Mitsubishi on the side of the highway before exit 5 at Myrtle Avenue and Woodhaven Boulevard. Before this, the woman gave birth to two children, so she understood that the baby was already leaving and they would not make it to the hospital.

Her husband, True, 33, a professional singer and high school music teacher in New York, couldn’t believe this was actually happening.

“When I touched her stomach, I felt my son’s legs pressing against her ribcage, as if he were pushing against her ribs,” he said.

Baby Temple was born on the side of the freeway literally five seconds after True stopped the car.

Throughout her pregnancy, True joked that he would be the one delivering the baby, even though they planned to have the birth with the support of an experienced doula and medical professionals at NewYork-Presbyterian. Although he was present at the birth of their 5-year-old son Taitan and 3-year-old daughter Sander, the man was never actively involved in the birth.

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But when he stopped the car and saw that the baby’s head had already begun to appear, and Bellray was moaning in pain, the amazed True realized that his joke had become a reality. As luck would have it, the car had a trunk full of towels—True had bought 15 new towels for their home the day before.

It was in these towels that he delivered his third child.

Instead of waiting on the side of the road for an ambulance, the couple stopped a police officer, who escorted them to the hospital.

Temple Westry Grant Archangel Osborne was born weighing 3 kg 800 g. His birth certificate says “Exit 5 – Woodhaven” in the “Place of Birth” column.