Nurse influencer Hailey Okula dies from childbirth complications: ‘She was my everything'
LOS ANGELES (WJW) – A California firefighter is mourning after his wife, a popular nurse influencer, passed away after giving birth to their first son.
Hailey Okula, known as Nurse Hailey to her 440,000 followers on Instagram, died due to complications from childbirth, her husband, Los Angeles firefighter Matt Okula, announced on social media on Tuesday.
'Words cannot convey the depth of the loss I feel. Hailey was more than I could have ever dreamed of in a wife and partner,' the post said. 'For nearly 13 years, she stood by my side in the hardest of times, loving me endlessly, even when I felt undeserving of that love. She was my everything.'
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In an interview with FOX 11 News in Los Angeles, Matt said moments after their son, Crew, was born, Hailey went into cardiac arrest.
She died from amniotic fluid embolism, 'a rare and life-threatening complication that occurs when a pregnant woman gets amniotic fluid into their bloodstream just before, during or immediately after childbirth,' according to the Cleveland Clinic.
The couple wanted to be parents for years, Matt said in the Instagram post.
'After years of infertility struggles and a long, challenging IVF process, we were overjoyed to be expecting Crew,' the post continued. 'Hailey faced every hurdle with so much courage and love — even though her body went through so much, she never waivered.'
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Hailey spent most of her videos educating newly-graduated nurses about the field. She established RN New Grads, a resource for new nurses, in 2019, according to the business website.
'Hailey poured her soul into her career as a nurse and her passion for teaching others through her business, RN New Grads,' the Instagram post said. 'She was so proud of it and was dedicated to creating something meaningful, not just for herself, but for the nursing community she loved so much.'
Matt said her spirit, courage and love will live on through their son.
'Crew is going to grow up hearing about the incredible woman his mom was — how strong, brilliant and fearless she was in everything she did, He'll know that she was a true force, changing lives and leaving a legacy that will never be forgotten,' Matt said.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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