An urgent call came in to the fire department – a woman complained of abdominal pain and asked for help. Among those who responded to the call was firefighter Mark Hadden, the 47th.
The firefighters arrived to find the pregnant woman. They only managed to put her on a stretcher, but there was clearly no time to take her to the hospital; they had to deliver the baby on the spot.
The firefighters only had time to cut the woman’s clothing when the baby girl was born. Mark was the first to hold her and jokingly greeted the newborn: “Well, hello, Rebecca Grace Hadden!”
Later, when the lady was taken to the hospital, Mark spoke with her and found out that she was homeless and that the child was not part of her plans. She intended to leave the baby at the hospital for adoption.
The girl is now 8 years old, and her older brothers simply adore her. The parents don’t hide her unique story from their daughter, but she doesn’t yet understand all the nuances.
Mark will explain to his daughter later how she came to be part of their family and hopes she will come to terms with this information.
In any case, Gracie is now a cherished part of the family, and her family will always be there for her.