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Woman Delivers Baby At Interstate 394, Penn Avenue

By James Schugel, WCCO-TV

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- A Plymouth mother had everything planned for a successful delivery, but her baby had different plans.

On Wednesday morning, Jabna Sanchez' contractions got stronger and closer together. So, she called her sister-in-law, Katie Herrera-Falksen, to take her to the hospital, along with her mother.

The three piled in the car and flew down Interstate 394 from Plymouth towards Hennepin County Medical Center in downtown Minneapolis. However, even driving 75 mph wasn't fast enough.

"It was just crazy! I can't believe it," Jabna said. "I just wanted to make it to the hospital. I was really nervous."

This is where her story becomes a story that will never get old.

"When (Sanchez) said, 'Call 911,' I was like, 'Oh, no! Here we go!,'" recalled Katie, who pulled off the I-394 at the Penn Avenue exit.

"I turned on my back, took off my pants, and there he was! He was coming out," Jabna said.

"When I was pulling off, I heard the mom saying, 'The baby's here! The baby's here,'" Katie recalled. "So I just quickly had to jump out, and the head was out, and I grabbed the head on the next push, took the shoulders and wrapped him up quick, and there we go."

Katie said there was no time to get scared. Her adrenaline kicked in.

Paramedics showed up 10 minutes after delivery and took mom and her son, Enzi, who was breathing fine and crying, to Hennepin County Medical Center.

"He's heavy -- 8 pounds, 3 ounces," Jabna said.

Once she and Enzi get home, Jabna will start telling the dramatic delivery tale.

"We're going to tell the story over and over, and all over again," said Jabna, smiling from her hospital bed, holding Enzi.

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