A Bothell family is celebrating the birth of their brand new baby girl Grace. But it’s how Grace was born that will be a story they can share for a lifetime. On the day before Thanksgiving Grace was born on Interstate 5 in Snohomish County.
In the final week of her second pregnancy, Justine Thomas had false contractions. But a little after 1 a.m. on Wednesday, November 21, things changed.
“I just had this contraction that felt like it was way different,” Thomas said.
After waking up her husband, the family rushed out of their Bothell home they jumped on Interstate 405 and tried to make it to their Everett hospital. They only made it about 15 minutes down the road to mile marker 185.
“Right when we were getting onto I-5 from 405 I had a pretty strong feeling that I was going to be pulling over,” husband Trent Thomas said.
“And we saw a police officer pulled over and he was just turning his lights back off after a traffic stop so he decided to pull in front of him,” Justine said.
Trooper Steve Palm came to the rescue.
“Immediately I noticed a male walking from the driver side door I got out and met him and he said ‘I need your help my wife is in labor,’” Palm said. “I could tell by her body language and the look on her face that the baby was coming.”
The trooper and dad were able to get mom in the back seat of the truck.
“So we prepared for the birth of the child,” Trooper Palm said with a smile.
“And I pushed a couple more times and [Trent] caught her and the trooper kind of helped her out,” Justine said.
And just like that Grace Morgan Thomas was born, on Interstate 5.
“She was 7 pounds 9 ounces,” dad said.
With no complications baby Grace went home on Thanksgiving Day. A graceful entrance, maybe not, but a grateful family and a memorable story, absolutely.
“We’re just so thankful that the trooper was there when he was there and everybody is healthy,” Justine said. “We’re just happy to have a new little addition to our family.”