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Updated: 11:54 PM Dec 30, 2009
Miracle at Memorial: Mom and Baby Die During Labor, Revived
Colorado Springs Some are calling it a Christmas miracle... a mom and her baby die during labor, but doctors at Memorial Hospital in Colorado Springs were able to bring them both back to life.
Posted: 9:11 PM Dec 28, 2009Reporter: Rick Montanez Email Address: RMontanez@kktv.com PLAY VIDEO: Mom & Baby Die In Labor, Revived By Doctors PLAY VIDEO: Searching For "Miracle" Answers |
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Some are calling it a Christmas miracle... a mom and her baby die during labor, but doctors at Memorial Hospital in Colorado Springs were able to bring them both back to life.
Now, the whole family is back together at home. Doctors say it's very rare for this to happen, but after Tracey Hermanstorfer passed away during labor, doctors delivered the baby by c-section, with no anesthesia. That's when the family says the miracles began to unfold.
"There’s only one explanation for having either one of them, let alone both of them here,” said Mike Hermanstorfer. “It's just an absolute miracle."
On Christmas Eve, Tracey's water broke, so the couple went to Memorial Hospital. They thought it would be a routine delivery, just like it was with their other two boys.
"I guess I went into cardiac arrest and I really don't remember anything after that," Tracey recalls.
"She was dead, she had no heartbeat, no breathing,” said Stephanie Martin, D.O., director of maternal fetal medicine at Memorial Hospital. “She was as gray as her sweatsuit, no signs of life."
"I sat there with my wife's hand in mine, ice cold,” said Mike. “She was completely and totally blue."
After trying, in vain, to resuscitate Tracey for several minutes, Dr. Martin decided to do an emergency c-section right there in the delivery room. But when the baby came out, he too wasn't breathing.
"Half of my family was laying there in front of me, there's no other way to say it, but dead," said Mike.
Then came the Hermanstorfer's Christmas miracle. "Immediately after delivering him, her pulse came back," said Dr. Martin. Martin tells 11 News, when pregnant women have complications, they have been known to recover once the baby is delivered.
After the delivery, doctors rushed Tracey to the operating room to complete the surgery. In the meantime, Coltyn's tiny, lifeless, body was handed to his father Mike. Doctors still worked to get the baby breathing. "They actually got him started right in my hands. That is an amazing feeling," said Mike.
Mom and baby now show no sign of complications. The Hermanstorfer family is home, getting to know baby Coltyn, who was born weighing 7lbs. 4oz. and measuring 19 inches long. His original due date was January 5.
After running multiple tests, doctors still don't know what sent Tracey into cardiac arrest. Doctors they tell 11 News, although little Coltyn shows no signs of complications his parents will have to keep a close eye on his milestones. They have to monitor things like when he crawls and sits up, because there is no way to know for sure if he will suffer long-term effects.
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Latest Comments
I agree with Kathie. It's sad that people don't believe in God when the evidence is right in front of you. The world was not made by any accident and neither were we. If that was the case then people should still be evolving from monkeys, and there should be Earths everywhere! I understand that not everyone will believe and that's why it's our job as saints of God to pray for them, be examples for them, and one day God will reveal Himself to them. You may not ever believe in God while you're here on Earth, but regardless of what you believe, I know that one day we all have to stand before Jesus and give an account for our actions. On that day you all cannot say you did not hear about Him. I pray that the Lord will have mercy on you. God is REAL! I have seen too many things, and there aren't that many coincidences in the world. May God help you all who do not believe.
It truly is sad people wil come and check these comments everyday to get thier 2 cents in, nothing written on this page is going to change anyone's religious ideas, get over it. This is a miracle, wether you believe in god or not, the deffinition of a miracle is any amazing or wonderful occurence, it says nothing about religion. Im only 14 and it seems i have more sense then most of you. Congratualations to the family =)
I actually agree with Mike on all of this. While I *do* think it is nothing short of amazing taht this woman and her baby came back to life, I'm not certain that God had anything to do with it. I agree that with such miracles are an equal number of tragedies that cannot be explained and certainly aren't because God "had greater plans." There is no "greater plan" for a baby who is bludgeoned in Africa or for a newborn whose mother dies and then lives a life of neglect and abuse or a baby who is born addicted to crack and eventually dies. I could go on. I know it sounds negative, but the reality is that EVERY religion believes that their religion is the RIGHT one, when what it might be is the right one for them.
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