Ashley Goette, 28, was mere days away from welcoming her first child when she faced an unimaginable situation. Exhausted and dealing with the typical challenges of late pregnancy, she initially mistook the noises coming from her husband, Andrew, for snoring.
However, she soon realized that Andrew was struggling to breathe and was unresponsive.
In a state of panic, Goette immediately called 911. The operator guided her through performing CPR on Andrew while awaiting the arrival of emergency services.
“When the paramedics arrived and began CPR, my only thought was, ‘I can’t have this baby without Andrew here,'” Goette shared in an interview.
Andrew was rushed to the hospital, where doctors diagnosed him with Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome, a condition characterized by an extra electrical pathway in the heart, causing rapid heart rates. This rare condition, affecting about 20,000 people in the U.S. annually, is seldom fatal, but in Andrew’s case, it nearly was.
To stabilize him, doctors placed Andrew in a medically induced coma. At the same time, Goette and her family braced themselves for the worst just as the anticipated arrival of their baby drew near.
Fortunately, Andrew was successfully revived, and though initially disoriented and frightened, he soon learned that he would be present for one more miracle.
“It’s nothing short of a miracle,” Andrew said. “I went from being at death’s door to witnessing the birth of my son. It’s a story I’ll be thrilled to tell him when he’s older.”
Dr. Alex Teeters, who treated Andrew, commended Goette’s decisive actions. “In just four days, she saved a life and welcomed a new one. It’s truly remarkable,” he said.
Despite the joyful outcome, the couple faced significant financial strain due to Andrew’s medical expenses and the cost of the birth. They launched a GoFundMe campaign to help cover the substantial bills, raising over $12,000.