SALT LAKE CITY -- He’s 7 pounds, 4 ounces.
Little Edem was due on July 14 but he had a schedule of his own. Two days before his due date, the newborn took his mom on quite the ride.
“I was in excruciating pain,” said Pepevi Adzitso, Edem’s mom. “When the pain got really intense and I feel like I can’t take it anymore I told my husband it’s time to go.”
Edem’s dad, Nathaniel Francis, was behind the wheel but on the drive from their home in West Valley City to St. Marks Hospital when his wife’s water broke.
One thing was running through Francis’ mind.
“Just got to get to the hospital, I just got to get there,” he said.
But Edem was already on his way.
Adzitso was yelling for the car to go faster and Francis looked back to see Edem was starting to come out. Finally they pulled up to the hospital but their child wasn’t waiting any longer. With little time to spare, Francis ran inside for help.
In the hallway was Marjorie Perez, a mammogram technologist.
“He was a little bit frantic a little bit frazzled,” Perez said.
Steps away from the emergency room doors she saw Adzitso in the back of the van.
“I thought this was beyond my expertise,” Perez said.
But no one else was around.
“If I don’t catch this baby no one will,” Perez said. “I put one hand under his little head and told her to push a little bit, so he was going to come out or not.”
Doctors got there shortly after.
“I don’t imagine I was holding him for five to 10 seconds before someone came but it seemed like eternity,” Perez said.
Edem’s parents are grateful the technologist was at the right place at the right time.
“It was pretty cool seeing this perfect little angel, this precious little guy come out,” Perez said.
The now father of four has this advice for dads.
“Don’t wait too long, don’t wait too long,” Francis said.
Francis
“I love him, I’m glad he’s alive and don’t scare me like that anymore,” Francis said.
The family is happy and healthy and now have a great story and a beautiful baby to take home.
