BELL COUNTY, Texas — A Central Texas family is counting their blessings, which includes their newest addition to the family and their local first responders.
On Dec. 2, 2023, four members of Central Bell Fire & Rescue were dispatched to reports of a mother in labor, Central Bell shared on a social media post. They were met at the Smith household by a paramedic with AMR Temple/Belton EMS.
Nearly two weeks after the response, the now mom of three, and the strangers who were turned into heroes met to reminisce on the encounter.
"I think we ended up with the best possible outcome," said Robert Hadrick III, a firefighter/EMT for Central Bell Fire & Rescue. "Situations like that they tend to be difficult because the odds are against you. They're extremely low frequency, but high risk."
The responding crew made up of four men, and a woman were able to explain to Smith what they were up against and how rare it was for them to be responding to an active labor. Specifically, a 27-week active labor of twins.
"This was my first actual true OB emergency in the field," said Mike O'Connor, a Firefighter/EMT with Central Bell Fire & Rescue. "This was a call we'd never run before."
When first responders got on scene, the first baby was already born, but wasn't breathing great. Both O'Connor and Hadrick were in charge of providing aid to the newborn, which required life-saving measures.
"I do love that you named baby one 'Miracle' because to be honest, me and Rob grabbed her and rushed out to the ambulance to start working," O'Connor was telling Smith. "For a couple of minutes we weren't sure it was gonna be a good outcome."
"If it wasn't for them, I don't think my daughter would be here right now and she is, and healthy," said Dovie Smith, the mother to the twins. "She is a fighter and she's the reason why we've named her Miracle because she is our miracle baby."
"We were doing what we were taught to do and what we're trained to do and what we knew, but at the end of the day -- your baby was strong enough," O'Connor added.
While the duo provided aid to the newborn, the rest of the crew was helping mom as she was still in labor with Miracle's twin sister.
"I just did what I had to do for you and took care of everybody," said Paramedic Raina Owens with AMR Temple/Belton EMS. "I'm really glad that you're okay and the babies are doing good and I'm glad that they're gonna they're gonna get to come home."
Smith ended up having Miracle's twin, Janey, at a local hospital. They are still in the NICU, but are healthy and doing good. They could even possibly come home soon.
"Y'all were right there when we needed y'all," said Charlotte Sanders, grandmother of the twins. "Thank God for y'all, each and every one of y'all. Y'all did a super great, wonderful job."
Often times, first responders don't get to see how their labor plays out, but just like the rare call, they got to see how their work made the best possible outcome for all.
"It's just a great sigh of relief because, like they said we don't always know what's going on," said Dakota Langenfeldt, a probationary firefighter for Central Bell Fire & Rescue.
"Normally we don't have that outcome in this line of work," said Lt. Kevin Burzesi, with Central Bell Fire & Rescue. "Sometimes you do win, sometimes you don't -- more oftentimes the night you don't win, and you don't have that like literal miracle. To see you again is pretty cool."
Smith is just thankful for healthy babies, and credits the hard work of the strangers she now gets to call heroes.
"I will never take that for granted at all," she said. "They're the best."
For their actions, the first responders received stork pins, a token of appreciation for assisting a mother with a delivery in the field.