A routine night took an unexpected turn for three strangers who found themselves assisting in a dramatic roadside birth in Salt Lake City. With the guidance of a 911 dispatcher, the group worked together to help a woman deliver her baby in a gas station parking lot—an experience none of them will ever forget.
A Simple Act of Kindness Turns Into an Emergency
Michael Flores was driving in the early hours of the morning when he noticed a woman who appeared to be in distress. Stopping to check on her, he asked if she was okay.
“She told me she was sick, so I immediately offered to take her to the hospital,” Flores recalled.
Without hesitation, he helped her into his truck and began the drive toward the nearest medical facility. Unbeknownst to him, his friend Maurio Quire was following behind and noticed Flores suddenly speeding up.
“I had no idea what was happening,” Quire said. “One minute he was driving normally, then he started going faster and faster.”
It quickly became clear why—the woman was in labor, and the baby wasn’t going to wait.
A Maverik Gas Station Becomes an Impromptu Delivery Room
Realizing they wouldn’t make it to the hospital in time, Flores made a split-second decision to pull into the parking lot of a Maverik gas station on Redwood Road. Quire, still unaware of the situation, parked and rushed over.
“I looked inside the truck, and I saw she was about to give birth,” Quire said.
Flores sprinted into the gas station, urgently calling for help.
“There’s a woman in my truck having a baby!” he shouted.
One of the employees, Mary McKenzie, happened to be working that night. Despite being a mother herself, she admitted she had zero experience delivering babies.
“My coworkers told me I had the most experience because I had kids,” McKenzie laughed. “But I told them, ‘I’ve never actually delivered one before!’”
Guided by a 911 Dispatcher
With no medical professionals on-site, the group dialed 911, and dispatcher Joyce Jones answered the call. She calmly began coaching them through the delivery process.
“Stay on the line, and I’ll guide you step by step,” Jones assured them.
While waiting for paramedics to arrive, McKenzie, Flores, and Quire followed Jones’ instructions, doing their best to assist the laboring mother.
“Should she push?” McKenzie asked anxiously.
“Yes, she needs to push hard,” Jones replied.
Within moments, a baby boy was born, and McKenzie caught him in her arms. The infant’s umbilical cord was wrapped around his neck, but she carefully unwound it before wrapping him in napkins to keep him warm.
A Joyful Outcome
Just minutes later, firefighters and paramedics arrived, taking over the care of both mother and child. Back at the dispatch center, Jones’ colleagues, who had been listening in, cheered when they heard the baby’s first cries.
“As soon as I announced it was a boy, I heard applause from my coworkers,” Jones said.
For those involved, the experience was unforgettable.
“It felt amazing to be part of something so special,” Flores said.
“Seeing that little baby arrive safely—it was a beautiful moment,” Quire added.
McKenzie was still in disbelief about the night’s events.
“I don’t think anyone else has ever delivered a baby in a Maverik parking lot,” she laughed.
As for the mother and baby, privacy laws prevent sharing their details, but sources confirmed that both were doing well after being transported to the hospital.
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