Baby Born in Parking Lot Reunites With Chesterfield First Responders
TL;DR: Kate McCoy gave birth to her son at just 25 weeks in a parking lot with help from Chesterfield firefighters, and after 132 days in the NICU, the family reunited with the first responders who delivered him.
Quick facts
- Who: Kate McCoy and newborn son; Chesterfield County Fire Department paramedics led by Lt. Justin Gordon; Johnston-Willis Hospital NICU staff
- What: Premature birth in apartment complex parking lot with emergency delivery by firefighters; 132-day NICU stay; family reunion with first responders
- When: Birth at 24 weeks, 5 days pregnant; 132 days NICU stay; reunion months later in 2026
- Where: Chesterfield County apartment complex parking lot; Johnston-Willis Hospital
The story
Kate McCoy was approximately 24 weeks and 5 days pregnant when she fell in her bedroom at her Chesterfield County apartment complex and immediately recognized the onset of labor. She told her husband, "the baby's coming, the baby's coming right now." Her husband called 911, and a Chesterfield County Fire Department ambulance arrived quickly.
Paramedics loaded McCoy into the ambulance in the parking lot, where delivery began almost immediately. Lieutenant Justin Gordon, one of the first responders, recalled, "She delivered before we got to the stop sign on the way out of the apartment complex." The newborn boy weighed just one pound, one ounce.
Being born at 25 weeks presented severe medical challenges. Premature infants at this gestational age typically have underdeveloped organs and immature body systems, particularly the lungs, cardiovascular system, and neurological development. Both mother and son were admitted to Johnston-Willis Hospital, where the NICU team, led by Director Stephanie Taylor, provided intensive care. McCoy also spent time in the intensive care unit.
After 132 days in the hospital, the baby was discharged home healthy. McCoy described the moment as feeling "like a dream for the first couple of months." Months later, the family reunited with the first responders and hospital staff who helped ensure the baby's survival, celebrating both the emergency team's quick action and the infant's remarkable recovery.
Key players
- Kate McCoy: Mother who went into premature labor
- Lieutenant Justin Gordon: Chesterfield County Fire Department paramedic who delivered the baby
- Stephanie Taylor: Director of NICU at Johnston-Willis Hospital
- Chesterfield County Fire Department: Emergency responders who delivered the baby
- Johnston-Willis Hospital: Hospital providing NICU care
Why it matters: The story illustrates the critical role of emergency medical response in rural and suburban Chesterfield, where quick action by first responders and specialized NICU care combined to give an extremely premature infant a healthy start at life. It highlights both the risks of early labor and the county's emergency response capabilities.
Places
Development timeline
- 2026 (date unspecified)Kate McCoy goes into premature labor at 24 weeks, 5 days: McCoy falls in her bedroom and recognizes onset of labor; husband calls 911 [[source]](https://www.wtvr.com/news/local-news/chesterfield-county/baby-reunites-first-responders-july-15-2026)
- 2026 (date unspecified)Emergency delivery in parking lot: Chesterfield County Fire Department paramedics deliver one-pound, one-ounce boy in apartment complex parking lot before reaching hospital [[source]](https://www.wtvr.com/news/local-news/chesterfield-county/baby-reunites-first-responders-july-15-2026)
- 2026 (132 days after birth)Baby discharged from NICU: After 132 days in intensive care at Johnston-Willis Hospital, baby goes home healthy [[source]](https://www.wtvr.com/news/local-news/chesterfield-county/baby-reunites-first-responders-july-15-2026)
- 2026 (months after discharge)Family reunion with first responders: McCoy family reunites with Chesterfield firefighters and hospital staff who helped deliver and care for baby [[source]](https://www.wtvr.com/news/local-news/chesterfield-county/baby-reunites-first-responders-july-15-2026)
Related links
Read the original at WTVR CBS 6 (YouTube) →
Sources
- Chesterfield baby born in parking lot reunites with the first responders who delivered him
- Baby Born in Parking Lot video