South Carolina

‘I Had to Do What I Had to Do': Mother Braves Hurricane Matthew to Deliver Baby

"Any mother will go through extraordinary measures to make sure that their child is safe."

A South Carolina mother braved through rain, wind and floodwaters to get to the hospital in time for her delivery during Hurricane Matthew, NBC affiliate WCBD reported

Lestlis Matthews got to take home her son Friday after she went into labor during Hurricane Matthew. 

When she called paramedics, they warned her there would be a delay because of the rising floodwaters. 

Not willing to risk the wait, Matthews got up and started walking to the hospital on her own.

"Walking through the water was fine," she said. "Any mother will go through extraordinary measures to make sure that their child is safe, and I had to do what I had to do."

A driver picked her up after she had walked nearly five blocks.

Matthews said she was born two days before Hurricane Hugo. 

"I'm a survivor, going to be all right," Matthews said. 

Read more on WCBD.

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