KENTWOOD, Mich. — Under the protective shade of many trees along Gentian Court sits a home with a two-lane driveway. The driveway doesn't look any different than any of the other driveways on the block. But the story that happened in that driveway is one that a West Michigan family will now be able to tell for decades to come.
A pregnant Gabrielle VanDyk had spent the morning of Sunday, July 24 experiencing what she thought was Braxton Hicks contractions, otherwise known as false labor pains. After taking a nap, VanDyk realized what she was feeling was actually the real thing.
"My water broke in the living room, and then we ended up going out to the car to go to the hospital so I could get checked out," VanDyk said.
VanDyk's fiancé Gregory Brink was at work in Coopersville over 30 minutes away. She called him and told him the baby was on its way.
"I literally dropped things out of my hands got in the car and I sped up. It was hard to get any information. Obviously, everything was hectic. I called my mom. I said 'what's going on?'" Brink said.
Brink's mother, Jennifer Lake, had helped VanDyk into the car. But it was too late.
"She sat down, went to go lay back, and here comes the baby," Lake said.
"I held on to the baby and my heart's just racing, I could feel myself sweating."
Lake was able to grab some towels while VanDyk held her new baby girl, Luna. Responding crews from the Kentwood Fire Department and Life EMS were able to help the family on the scene. Among the first responders was Lake's cousin Pat Hatch, who has been with Life EMS Ambulance for nearly 40 years.
"It was really kind of cool. It was like a big family thing even though it was a big surprise. I was very, very happy," Lake said.
At the hospital, both VanDyk and baby Luna were given a clean bill of health.
Meet Luna - the baby born in a Kentwood driveway!
"She's only seven pounds, eight ounces right now. But she absolutely loves to eat," VanDyk said.
"She doesn't like her feet being touched, so changing her is a bit of a process. And she's very sassy with her binky."
VanDyk and baby Luna were discharged from the hospital and able to go home Tuesday where Luna met her 18-month-old brother.
Family members look forward to the day they're able to tell baby Luna the story of her dramatic entrance into the world.
"I am so excited. I can't wait I'm going to be like you came so fast. In the blink of an eye, you were here," said Lake, who is now a grandmother of six.
VanDyk believes Luna will enjoy hearing the story just as much as her loved ones enjoy telling it.
"I think she's gonna think it's very funny that she was in such a rush to come out to the world and meet us," she said.
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