A nursing influencer known as Nurse Hailey died from complications during childbirth. The husband of the late Hailey Okula has now shared a heartbreaking moment that occurred before she passed while giving birth to their first child.
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Okula's husband, Matt Okula, first announced her tragic death through an Instagram post on Tuesday. Now, in an updated statement to FOX 11, Matt shared that his wife got to see her newborn boy, named Crew, for a "split second" before going into cardiac arrest.
Nurse Influencer Got To Meet Her Newborn Before Dying In Childbirth
"She was able to see him for a split second, and I'm always going to remember that," Matt revealed while choking back tears. "She went into cardiac arrest, and the doctors say it was from a very, very rare complication known as amniotic fluid embolism."
The reporter explained how 33-year-old Hailey's first and final moments with her baby boy went down. "She had the baby, looked up at him, made a joke about how big he was," said reporter Hailey Winslow. "And then literally two minutes after he was born, she said 'I don't feel good,' and went into cardiac arrest."
Hailey was an ER nurse who shared her infertility journey with over 456,000 followers. For two years, the nurse struggled to conceive through IVF, but finally, she became pregnant with a baby boy.
Fans, friends, and family were heartbroken upon hearing of Hailey's passing. "Words cannot convey the depth of the loss I feel," said Matt. "Hailey was more than I could have ever dreamed of in a wife and partner. She was gorgeous, smart, hardworking, passionate, trustworthy, and above all else, unbelievably loyal."
The husband couldn't describe with words how badly they wanted to be parents. "After years of infertility struggles and a long, challenging IVF process, we were overjoyed to be expecting Crew. Hailey faced every hurdle with so much courage and love—even though her body went through so much, she never wavered."
Knowing that Hailey got to meet her baby Crew before her untimely death is bittersweet. She achieved her life's biggest dream, and she worked so hard to start a family with Matt. Hailey was not only going to be an incredible mother, but she was also a passionate nurse.
"Hailey poured her soul into her career as a nurse and her passion for teaching others through her business, RN New Grads" Matt said. "She dreamed of helping new nurses thrive while also being present for our sweet Crew, building a life and legacy she was so proud of."
