In a nightmare situation, Kenzie Lewellen went into labor and had to give birth during the height of Hurricane Milton. Delivering a baby whilst watching the hurricane wage war outside is not an ideal environment for the first-time mum.
Kenzie Lewellen (22) and her boyfriend Dewey Bennett (24) were "stressed" as she went into labor at 4am on October 9th. This was the same day Hurricane Milton was to make landfall. To make matters worse, Bennett couldn't help but allude to another similar incident.
During Hurricane Irma, Bennett's father had died from a heart attack. The emergency services couldn't respond thanks to the hurricane. They were determined for a different result, although "very scared."
Baby Delivered During Hurricane Milton
In anticipation of the hurricane, Lewellen and Bennett tried to check-in to the hospital the day before. "But obviously during a storm, they don't just let people come stay here, because they're not a shelter," Lewellen said.
Lewellen was in labor for almost five hours before they managed to make their way over to the hospital. During this time, their house was flooding thanks to the storm. Having to sit tight with contractions in a flooding house would terrify anyone.
Lewellen's mother drove them to Sarasota Memorial Hospital, racing through the awful conditions the hurricane threw their way. Once there, Lewellen and Bennett were rushed to a hospital room.
Unfortunately, the room they were admitted to had a clear view of the hurricane. Seeing the carnage made breathing through her contractions a hard task.
To make matters even worse, poor Lewellen had to undergo a cesarean section.
"I was just on my own, by myself, and I was very scared. If I didn't have the doctors and the nurses that I had, it would have been a whole lot worse," Lewellen said.
Through the turmoil of the hurricane, the operation was successful and Dewey Lester Bennett, IV, was introduced into the world, even as it was ravaged around them, at 11:45pm.
Six other miracle babies were delivered at Sarasota Memorial Hospital during the hurricane.
The birth was a success and everyone is safe. The doctors and nurses at the hospital are truly miracle workers, and Lewellen and Bennett, and all the other parents, are very grateful toward them.
