M
ike and Brandi Ruby were
settling in for a quiet
Saturday evening at
home in Sai Kung, when
Brandi’s waters broke – three weeks
before her due date.
Having endured a 12-hour labour
with her firstborn, Michael Jr, Brandi
assumed she had a little time to spare
before heading off on the half-hour trip
to hospital.
But, as contractions began to
intensify sharply, the couple quickly left
their home and hailed a passing taxi
for a ride they’ll never forget.
“Five minutes in, I just knew the baby
was coming,” says Brandi. “I could feel
him in the birth canal and I just switched
into survival mode and told Mike to get
ready to deliver our baby.”
As a real estate professional with
property firm CBRE, Mike had little
experience with such matters, but
says there was no time to hesitate or
second-guess his actions. “I saw the
head first, and then I just eased him
out slowly, going on instinct,” says
Mike. “The taxi driver asked if he should
stop the car, but we just wanted to
get there. It was kind of surreal, but
When a baby decides to arrive, there’s no way of hitting the
brakes, as one Hong Kong couple recently discovered.
Katrina Shute
shares their story.
exhilarating at the same time.”
Ten minutes after baby Hank’s
arrival, they pulled up at the hospital
and the cab was soon surrounded by a
dozen doctors.
Mike made sure his wife and baby
were safely inside before rushing off to
find an ATM.
“I gave the driver $1,000 for his
troubles, and thanked him for his
steady, calm driving,” says Mike. “I
don’t know his name, but he was
certainly a big part of this crazy
experience that, thankfully, had a very
happy ending.”
DELIVERED
BYDAD
February 2015
31
