Good Samaritan Helps Deliver Roadside Baby

Parents were trying to get to Fort Worth, but only got as far south as Alliance Airport

A Good Samaritan helped a Gainesville, Texas couple welcome their first son a bit earlier than expected on Friday morning.

Baby Landon was born at about 7:30 a.m. just off the southbound lanes of Interstate 35W near Alliance Airport in Fort Worth.

The parents were planning to give birth in Fort Worth after recently moving from Arlington to Gainesville. 

Mom Karen Call - a certified EMT - was prepared in case the they didn't make it to the hospital.

"I brought two shoe strings and scissors, and some towels in case the baby came early," Karen Call said.

The couple didn't make it to the hospital.

Four people stopped alongside the road to help. One was them was Charles Harrell, owner of Tex Star Towing, who helped deliver the baby.

"I did what I had to do," Harrell said.

"I help everyone, that's why I started the business, so I could help people," Harrell said.

Harrell was bringing a stranded driver back from Oklahoma when stopped to help the expectant Calls.

"Just seen a car swerve off to the side of the road, seen a guy with a black blanket run out and the lady rolled out of the car," said Harrell. "And I went, 'she's having a baby.'"

Armed with blankets and gloves of his own, Harrell and his passenger sprung into action.

"The husband was kind of panicking and we just told her to push and everything will be all right," Harrell said.

About 10 to 15 minutes after pulling over, at 7:28 a.m. according to MedStar's 911 log, baby Landon was born.

"It was a beautiful baby, it didn't really set in until I got back into the truck to leave," Harrell said.

Mom and baby are doing fine now at Texas Health Harris Methodist.

When asked whether he'd ever delivered a baby before, Harrell smiled and simply said, "some puppies."

Landon is the couple's second child. The two already have a 17-month-old daughter.

The family expects to be back home in Gainesville by the end of the weekend.

NBC 5's Eric King contributed to this report.

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