Baby Delivered on Arizona Highway Thrives and Smiles, Family Reports

In a remarkable turn of events, Shelby and Thomas Vuja of Maricopa welcomed their son, Caden Thomas Vuja, in an unexpected location—on Highway 347. Their experience, shared in an exclusive interview with 12News, highlights the fortuitous convergence of urgency, resilience, and a touch of divine intervention.

The journey to the highway delivery began on January 10th, shortly after Shelby’s obstetrician scheduled a planned C-section due to complications with the baby’s position. At 36 weeks along, Shelby felt reassured despite battling flu symptoms. However, contractions began shortly after she returned home, prompting the couple to head to the hospital.

As they were en route, Shelby’s labor escalated. “Within 10 minutes in the car… whoosh, all water came out right there in the front seat of the vehicle,” Shelby recounted. In a panic, Thomas called 911, reaching a dispatcher who guided him as he drove. The urgency of the situation grew as they realized they were still 15 minutes from the hospital.

“They tell me to pull over… the dispatcher said that if you start tugging on him you might break his spine, so she has to push,” Thomas said, illustrating the gravity of their predicament.

After a tense few moments, Caden emerged, but concerns arose. “Still not breathing,” Thomas recalled. Under instructions from the dispatcher, they performed CPR, and as soon as Shelby made contact, Caden cried—his first breath marking a miraculous moment. “She just melted and started crying and just smiling,” Thomas said, no doubt relieved.

The family was soon en route to the hospital, where Caden was admitted to the NICU for extra care due to respiratory concerns related to his swift entrance into the world. Shelby, dealing with pneumonia and flu, faced her challenges, including a near-fatal situation requiring CPR during a medical procedure.

“They had to do CPR on me and bring me back to life,” Shelby shared, recalling the complexity of her recovery. Doctors identified and treated blood clots in her arm, and after a nine-day stay in the ICU, both mother and son finally returned home on February 1st, the date originally set for Caden’s delivery.

Today, Caden is thriving at 8 pounds, 10 ounces. The entire ordeal has brought an appreciation for life’s unpredictable nature to the Vuja family. “God was probably there,” Thomas reflected, pointing out a Bible that had been in their car for five years. “I’ve almost taken it out, and I’m like, ‘it’s here for a reason’ and I think that Caden was the reason.”

After a dramatic and unconventional arrival, the family feels blessed to have Caden at home, grateful for every moment spent together.