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Yahoo
09-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Husband speaks out after wife dies from serious complication in childbirth
A California husband and father is speaking out and raising awareness about a serious pregnancy complication after his wife died after giving birth to their first child. Matthew Okula, 34, told "Good Morning America" that his late wife Hailey Marie Okula, who was an emergency room nurse and a popular influencer behind the "RN New Grads" online platform for nurses, died on March 29 at the age of 33. Okula, a firefighter for the Los Angeles Fire Department, said his wife's death occurred after about three days of laboring and after she underwent a Cesarean section at Ocean Coast Medical Center in Fountain Valley, California. The couple's son, named Crew, was born healthy, weighing just over 9 pounds, Okula said. While he was spending time at their newborn's side after his birth, Okula said he learned his "very healthy" wife's condition had deteriorated. "A minute later, the doctor comes in briefly, tells me her oxygen levels has dropped. They're working on getting them up," he recalled. "I'm a fireman. I've been a medic for over 10 years and didn't really worry about it because she's in the hospital, very healthy." Mom suffers near-fatal stroke just hours after giving birth Okula said doctors performed CPR on his wife and rushed her to the intensive care unit, where he said she was told she died of an amniotic fluid embolism, a pregnancy complication that ultimately prevented her brain from receiving enough oxygen. When reached for comment by "GMA," a spokesperson for Orange Coast Medical Center declined to comment specifically on Hailey Okula's death, citing privacy. "While privacy restrictions prevent us from commenting in this instance, we are aware of the story and join in the public outpouring of condolences and support for the family," the spokesperson said in a statement. Matthew Okula said he is "destroyed" by his wife's unexpected and sudden death, but he is sharing her story publicly and widely to spread the word about amniotic fluid embolism, a complication he said he didn't know about. According to StatPearls, an online library published in the National Library of Medicine, an amniotic fluid embolism happens when the fluid surrounding the baby gets into the mother's bloodstream. This triggers a severe reaction in the mother's body that can cause blockages in the blood vessels, which can lead to the heart suddenly stopping, breathing problems, brain damage or kidney failure. Symptoms of an amniotic fluid embolism include shortness of breath, a sudden drop in blood pressure, fluid in the lungs, an abnormal heart rate, bleeding from the uterus, C-section incision or an IV site, agitation, confusion or anxiety. The risk for an amniotic fluid embolism can also increase with labor induction or if a mother has a pre-existing cardiac disease or a cerebrovascular disorder. Dad raises newborn daughter alone after mom dies due to pregnancy complications According to StatPearls, amniotic fluid embolisms are estimated to affect 2.2 to 7.7 of 100,000 deliveries, contributing to about 7.5% of maternal deaths in the United States. Okula said he plans on telling his son Crew what an "amazing" person his mother was and the "massive" impact she had on the world. Hailey Okula's "RN New Grads" Instagram boasted nearly 500,000 followers -- and in an April 2 post about her death, over 10,000 followers left messages of condolences. "I just hope that something can come from this," Okula said. "I think many pregnant moms don't know about it," he added. "It's such a fatal thing that could happen to anyone." Husband speaks out after wife dies from serious complication in childbirth originally appeared on
Yahoo
09-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Husband speaks out after wife dies from serious complication in childbirth
A California husband and father is speaking out and raising awareness about a serious pregnancy complication after his wife died after giving birth to their first child. Matthew Okula, 34, told "Good Morning America" that his late wife Hailey Marie Okula, who was an emergency room nurse and a popular influencer behind the "RN New Grads" online platform for nurses, died on March 29 at the age of 33. Okula, a firefighter for the Los Angeles Fire Department, said his wife's death occurred after about three days of laboring and after she underwent a Cesarean section at Ocean Coast Medical Center in Fountain Valley, California. The couple's son, named Crew, was born healthy, weighing just over 9 pounds, Okula said. While he was spending time at their newborn's side after his birth, Okula said he learned his "very healthy" wife's condition had deteriorated. "A minute later, the doctor comes in briefly, tells me her oxygen levels has dropped. They're working on getting them up," he recalled. "I'm a fireman. I've been a medic for over 10 years and didn't really worry about it because she's in the hospital, very healthy." Mom suffers near-fatal stroke just hours after giving birth Okula said doctors performed CPR on his wife and rushed her to the intensive care unit, where he said she was told she died of an amniotic fluid embolism, a pregnancy complication that ultimately prevented her brain from receiving enough oxygen. When reached for comment by "GMA," a spokesperson for Orange Coast Medical Center declined to comment specifically on Hailey Okula's death, citing privacy. "While privacy restrictions prevent us from commenting in this instance, we are aware of the story and join in the public outpouring of condolences and support for the family," the spokesperson said in a statement. Matthew Okula said he is "destroyed" by his wife's unexpected and sudden death, but he is sharing her story publicly and widely to spread the word about amniotic fluid embolism, a complication he said he didn't know about. According to StatPearls, an online library published in the National Library of Medicine, an amniotic fluid embolism happens when the fluid surrounding the baby gets into the mother's bloodstream. This triggers a severe reaction in the mother's body that can cause blockages in the blood vessels, which can lead to the heart suddenly stopping, breathing problems, brain damage or kidney failure. Symptoms of an amniotic fluid embolism include shortness of breath, a sudden drop in blood pressure, fluid in the lungs, an abnormal heart rate, bleeding from the uterus, C-section incision or an IV site, agitation, confusion or anxiety. The risk for an amniotic fluid embolism can also increase with labor induction or if a mother has a pre-existing cardiac disease or a cerebrovascular disorder. Dad raises newborn daughter alone after mom dies due to pregnancy complications According to StatPearls, amniotic fluid embolisms are estimated to affect 2.2 to 7.7 of 100,000 deliveries, contributing to about 7.5% of maternal deaths in the United States. Okula said he plans on telling his son Crew what an "amazing" person his mother was and the "massive" impact she had on the world. Hailey Okula's "RN New Grads" Instagram boasted nearly 500,000 followers -- and in an April 2 post about her death, over 10,000 followers left messages of condolences. "I just hope that something can come from this," Okula said. "I think many pregnant moms don't know about it," he added. "It's such a fatal thing that could happen to anyone." Husband speaks out after wife dies from serious complication in childbirth originally appeared on
Yahoo
06-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Southern California nursing influencer, wife of L.A. firefighter, dies after giving birth to son
A Southern California nurse who was a social media influencer and the wife of a Los Angeles firefighter died from a rare complication after giving birth to her son. Hailey Okula, 33, had shared the struggles of her pregnancy with her nearly 470,000 followers on Instagram. She had dreamed of becoming a mother and after years of infertility, she became pregnant after undergoing IVF. She and her husband, Matthew Okula, were thrilled about the new chapter in their lives when they found out they were welcoming a baby boy. On March 29, Hailey went into labor and gave birth to their son, Crew, who they considered their 'miracle baby.' 'We hear the baby cry and we were excited he was finally here,' Matt told KTLA's Sara Welch. 'She made a comment about how big he was. I grabbed her hand and said, 'He's beautiful and I will see you over there in a moment.' We were so excited and then it took such a quick turn.' Just minutes after delivering their son, Matt left the room and the unthinkable happened. 'It hadn't been a minute or two later that the doctor came in and told me they were doing CPR and her heart stopped,' he said. Hailey had suffered a rare pregnancy complication called amniotic fluid embolism which happens when amniotic fluid enters the mother's bloodstream and can cause an unexpected allergic-like reaction and cardiac arrest. On April 1, Matt shared the news of Hailey's death on her Instagram page, saying in part: 'Hailey's strength was unparalleled. Words can't describe how badly we wanted to be parents. Hailey faced every hurdle with so much courage and love—even though her body went through so much, she never wavered. Though her time with us was tragically cut short, Hailey's love for Crew was limitless, long before he entered this world. She would have been the most amazing mom. Her spirit, courage, and love will live on in our son, and through everyone whose lives she touched.' Hailey was an emergency room nurse who was passionate about her career and wanted to help other nurses thrive in the industry. She founded RN New Grads, a program that helped support newly graduated nurses. Her Instagram page @rnnewgrads also provided educational resources and advice to help new nurses. Matt said he never thought he would be a single father raising a newborn but said he is focused on doing the best job he can while working to raise awareness of the pregnancy dangers involving amniotic fluid embolism. 'It's about 100 people a year in the United States that [amniotic fluid embolism] happens to,' Matt said. 'That's a lot of broken hearts and shattered families. Hailey would want to use this right now to see how we can figure out a way to not let this happen to other families.' In the last moments he spent with his wife, Matt said he was 'just talking to her about Crew and I just told her I'm going to be the best dad I can be for him.' A GoFundMe page to help Hailey's family with funeral expenses can be found here. A candlelight vigil to honor Hailey's life will take place on April 26 at SeaLegs at the Beach in Huntington Beach at 6:30 p.m. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
04-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
The Death of Nurse Hailey Has Ignited a Conversation Around Amniotic Fluid Embolisms
Justin Paget/Getty One minute, emergency room nurse Hailey Okula was sharing a "quick little laugh" with her husband over their newborn son and the next, she was gone. That's how L.A. firefighter Matthew Okula described his wife's tragic passing on March 31, shortly after the 33-year-old nursing influencer delivered their son via C-section. "It just came upon me so quickly, unexpectedly," Matthew said in an interview with Fox 11 Los Angeles on April 2. Matthew says he'd just walked out of Hailey's hospital room with baby Crew when his wife went into cardiac arrest due to a 'very, very rare complication" called amniotic fluid embolism (AFE). According to the Cleveland Clinic, AFE is 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.' 'A minute later, the doctor let's me know that they're doing CPR on her,' the firefighter recalled. "I'm making the decision, 'Am I going to the ICU to be with my wife or am I staying with my newborn little baby?' Not the decision we thought I would be making." Nurse Hailey's passing has sparked a conversation about amniotic fluid embolism, which effects 1 in every 40,000 deliveries in the United State and is 'very difficult to diagnose,' per the Cleveland Clinic. Here's what you need to know. The death of Hailey Okula has understandably left a large community of nursing students, healthcare workers, and prospective parents reeling. Known online as 'Nurse Hailey,' the ER nurse had amassed over 680,000 followers across TikTok and Instagram for sharing tips and resources for healthcare workers and nursing grads on her social media accounts and through her business, RN New Grads. 'Hailey poured her soul into her career as a nurse and her passion for teaching others through her business, RN New Grads," Matthew wrote on Instagram while sharing the news of her passing on April 1. "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. She dreamed of helping new nurses thrive while also being present for our sweet Crew, building a life and legacy she was so proud of.' Over the years, the nursing influencer also shared candid look at her infertility struggles and pregnancy journey. "She wanted to be a mom so incredibly bad," Matt told Fox 11 Los Angeles. Amniotic fluid is the liquid that surrounds a fetus in utero prior to birth. Per the Cleveland Clinic, the fluid is 'made of mostly water but also contains fetal cells and tissue.' According to the Cleveland Clinic, some patients experience an 'extreme allergic reaction' when amniotic fluid mixes into the bloodstream before, which is a 'normal part of the birthing process.' For 'mostly unknown' reasons, an amniotic fluid embolism 'can lead to heart and lung failure, which causes several complications due to a lack of oxygenated blood in your body.' In turn, this can lead to cardiac arrest or uncontrollable bleeding from the uterus or C-section incision. The Cleveland Clinic reports that symptoms of AFE 'develop suddenly and quickly,' and can be difficult to diagnose due to their similarities with other pregnancy and birth complications. Symptoms typically occur during childbirth or within 30 minutes of the delivery and can include shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, sudden drop in blood pressure, pulmonary edema (fluid in your lungs), abnormal heart rate, chills, sudden anxiety or agitation, and bleeding from the uterus or C-section incision." Dr. Lauren Demosthenes, an OBGYN and Senior Medical Director with Babyscripts, tells Glamour that symptoms are 'dramatic and quick,' noting 'patients may feel sense of doom or anxiety.' Motherhood Elaine Welteroth: 'We Shouldn't Be Dying in Birth Anymore' The US has one of the highest maternal mortality rates in the world. Journalist and broadcaster Elaine Welteroth has launched a birth fund, and an advocacy movement, to combat this. AFEs are rare but have a high mortality rate, says Dr. Demosthenes, noting that 'OB providers may never see one.' She adds that although hard data is difficult to come by due to the condition's unpredictability, 70% of AFEs occur during labor and the fatality rate is 50%, if not higher. 'Ultimately AFE leads to cardiopulmonary failure and DIC, which is uncontrolled bleeding due to disruption of clotting factors,' Demosthenes says. 'Response needs to be quick with a team of people who can provide CPR, respiratory support, blood products, and ICU care." She continues, "Risk cannot be lowered, but response and mortality can be improved by training and having the CPR, respiratory, anesthesia, neonatology teams, high risk pregnancy teams, and ICU capability readily available. Of course, this may be difficult in rural hospitals or hospitals that are not equipped for this. But response needs to be immediate to reduce mortality.' Many of Nurse Hailey's followers have taken to the comments section of her social media feeds to share personal stories, messages of support, and resources related to AFE. 'I am so sorry for your loss. I had an amniotic embolism when I gave birth to my son via C-section. My heart stopped for 24 seconds,' one user replied to Matthew's broadcast interview. 'Thankfully, I made it out and I'm here today. I am praying for your family.' Another responded, 'I hope baby Crew grows up always knowing that his mother was such an amazing woman and always gave her heart to the community 🤍 I would not be the nurse I am today without her help and guidance! I praying for you and your family!!!🙏🏽' For some expectant parents, the 'unpredictable' nature of AFE leads to severe anxiety. As the Cleveland Clinic notes, 'Unfortunately, there's no way to prevent amniotic fluid embolism. Healthcare providers are still unsure why AFE happens and what exactly causes this condition.' The common advice shared in one Reddit thread about such fears: Stay off social media. 'It really does not help to read or hear about horror stories," one user commented, adding, 'Pregnancy is scary. I feel like this hasn't been spoken about in the past, but more and more people are openly talking about the scary things that happen to them, and that's great. It's important people know the risks of pregnancy. But while you're pregnant? It doesn't help. As someone with medical anxiety I say live in a bubble until you bring that beautiful babe into the world.' However, another wrote, 'Hailey's story is [heart] breaking. Maybe I'm in the minority here, but I like to be informed about any possibilities.' Matthew captioned his local Fox interview with a message to his wife. 'Through sheer dedication, you taught yourself everything—running a business, marketing, content creation, and so much more,' Matthew wrote, in part. "You created a community that trusted you, inspiring and educating millions of new grad nurses, RNs, doctors, and beyond. Your impact was immense, and I couldn't be more proud." He continued, "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." To donate to the Amniotic Fluid Embolism foundation or the GoFundMe for Matthew Okula and his son, Crew, click here and here. Originally Appeared on Glamour
Yahoo
04-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
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.' 'Forever grateful': Jameis Winston shares special message with Cleveland 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.' See how we're leaving a lasting mark inside the St. Jude Dream Home 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.
