Darren Helm's girlfriend gives birth to daughter in car en route to hospital
There’s a new member of the Detroit Red Wings family, and it’s the daughter of winger Darren Helm. But Helm’s daughter, Rylee, didn’t want to wait until Helm and his girlfriend, Devon, got to hospital. Instead, she made her way into the world while in the couple’s car.
When the couple was nearly at the hospital – about five minutes away, Helm told The Detroit News – Devon delivered Rylee. The child is the second for the couple, who already have another daughter named Reece.
"We tried to make it there (to the hospital) and hold (Rylee) back, but they (doctors) said it happens once in a while," Helm told The Detroit News’ Ted Kulfan. "Not often, but they always told us the second one comes out quicker than the first.”
After Red Wings morning skate Tuesday, Helm relayed the entire story. Once he had returned home from the team’s game Sunday afternoon – a 2-1 overtime victory over the St. Louis Blues – and gotten into bed at about 11 p.m., Devon woke him up to tell him that the baby was on her way. They rushed out of the house and to the hospital, but Rylee beat them by a few minutes.
"It was all her (Devon), by herself," Helm said. "I was just in the car with her and she was able to take care of business herself. It is very remarkable, incredible. I was just trying to get to the hospital as quick as I could."
Baby Rylee Clare Helm was officially brought into the world at 2:15 a.m. Monday morning, weighing 6 pounds and 10 ounces.
So, what was more intense – the race to the hospital or the Stanley Cup finals? No contest, said Helm.
"I mean, you have a woman in the back screaming to 'get me to the hospital' and yelling the baby is coming out. It was pretty intense. I'm so proud of her."
