Firefighters become second family to couple after helping woman deliver baby

SAN ANTONIO – San Antonio firefighters have become part of Rey and Abby Ulibarri's family after they answered an emergency call and helped her deliver her baby at home.

“The due date was supposed to be April 15, but our baby girl decided she wanted to be three days earlier,” said Rey Ulibarri.

Rey said he was at work when he received several texts from his wife about a possible early delivery of baby Zia.

“That morning she was having contractions but she didn’t tell me because she said didn’t think anything of them,” said Rey.

“They were coming but I thought these aren’t so bad so I just continued to work from home and then they began to get really bad,” said Abby. “So I began to get the urge to push and I texted my girlfriend and was like does this happen, and she told me yes and that I needed to call 911.”

After the first texts, Rey had already took off work and was on his way to pick up their older daughter from school when he received the final phone call.

"As I am running to my car, my wife calls me and was like, 'You might want to call 911 because we are not going to make it to the hospital,'” said Rey.

Rey left his daughter with the person who was supposed to pick her up from school and he rushed home.

"I go upstairs and my wife is in the master bathroom and she is in labor,” said Rey.

The entire time, Rey said he was on the phone with a 911 operator who was giving him instructions on what to do.

"I get a shoe string for the umbilical cord and I get towels and all that stuff,” said Rey. “He kept asking me if I could see the baby and I would tell him no. Then I looked out the window and saw the firetruck coming and thought to myself good! Then the operator asked me again if I could see the baby. I look down and oh crap yes I see the baby. Luckily as the baby is coming out, the fire fighters are coming up the stairs.”

"In my mind they came right before, like they had enough time to put their gloves on and catch her,” said Abby.

The firefighters made it just in time and helped deliver their baby daughter.

“Before we got the call we were just talking about how many deliveries we had to make,” said Abel Gomez, the firefighter who delivered Zia. “I have only delivered two when I worked in EMS but never as a firefighter so that was kind of crazy when this call came in.”

Sunday afternoon, the Fire Department decided to pay the family a visit in their fire truck. They presented the Ulibarris with a gift for Zia.

“We had Zia a baby onesie made with her name on it and the number 41 representing our station,” said Gino Montemayor, one of the firefighters. “This is so she can remember this when she gets older and have a funny story to tell.”

Montemayor said this moment was very special to them.

"We show up sometimes for the worst day of your lives, like medical calls, trauma and fire and things like that, but we showed up for one of the most beautiful days of your life for sure,” said Montemayor.

Emergency medical services personnel showed up 10 minutes after the baby was delivered and provided more medical care to the family.

The couple said they will forever be grateful for the fast actions of the firefighters.

“I just wanted to say thank you for not only this delivery, but for what you do day in and day out to server your community,” said Abby. “They really mean a lot to the community and I greatly appreciate the first responders we have.”


About the Author:

Japhanie Gray joined 10 News as an anchor in March 2022.