A woman named Alandria Worthy, who was pregnant, woke at 3 a.m. on November 23 with stomach cramps. She had no idea what would happen. After recently moving to Atlanta, Georgia, she and her partner Deandre Phillips were staying in an Airbnb.
It was a 45-minute drive to the nearest hospital, and it was imperative to act quickly. However, there was only traffic in sight as Alandria’s contractions escalated–and distinctive yellow arches.
Labor Pains Kick In
When Alandria first started feeling the contractions of labor, she didn’t let on that she was very concerned because of the unknown nature of their settings. She was calm because she was aware that she had no reason to be anxious at this stage, and she and Deandre made the decision to maintain their composure.
Judging the length of time between contractions during active labor can be difficult; one minute, you may feel good, and the next, your contractions may be only a few minutes apart.
An Abrupt Decision
During an interview that Alandria gave to the 11 Alive news station in Atlanta, Georgia, she stated, “I read to not go to the hospital as soon as you start feeling [contractions] because they were still 15 to 20 minutes apart. So, I didn’t want to be in the hospital pushing hours and hours.”
Although this decision may have been appropriate at 3 a.m., the couple immediately altered their mindsets as the severity of the contractions intensified during the following hours.
Rapidly Evolving Contractions Minute by Minute
It’s true that having contractions doesn’t always mean that you’re getting close to having a baby. The Cleveland Clinic identifies “false labor” as having contractions that are irregular in duration and tricky to anticipate. This type of labor is defined as “false.”
However, as Alandria came to discover, “fake” labor has the potential to turn into “real” labor if one is not careful. As her labor became more intense and excruciating, she thought that the prospect of giving birth in a hospital might not be a bad idea after all.
Mother Nature’s Call
After Deandre got his fiancé into the car, they hurried off to the hospital at the crack of dawn–she was in serious condition. And the pressure and discomfort that Alandria experienced in her womb only continued to intensify as they traveled.
Then, another feeling came over her, and at that moment, she shifted her attention sharply. The mounting unease that she was experiencing made one thing very clear–she had to respond to mother nature’s call! They needed to locate a restroom–immediately.
Find the Nearest Restroom!
According to the Cleveland Clinic, “Some women describe contractions as strong menstrual cramps, while others describe them as strong waves that feel like diarrhea cramps.” Regardless of what Alandria was experiencing at that moment, she was aware that remaining in the vehicle was not a viable option.
However, they were completely encircled by a highway and a lot of traffic, so it was not an easy task for Alandria to find a place where she could use the restroom.
Finally, a McDonald’s Restaurant!
Finally, as if it were a scene from a dream, they spotted it–the magnificent golden arches. Alandria sped off to the restroom as soon as Deandre parked in the parking lot of the McDonald’s restaurant. To her great relief, there was nobody there.
As the intensity of her labor contractions increased, Alandria was acutely aware that she needed to move quickly into the restroom. But destiny ultimately determined that there were other things in store for both of them.
Her Water Broke
The moment Alandria stepped inside the bathroom cubicle, she was overcome by a physical sensation that literally made her heart skip a beat. According to what she said on 11 Alive, “I went into the bathroom, and my water broke immediately. It was an experience because it happened so fast.”
Now she was confined to the restroom of a fast food restaurant, and the baby was on its way regardless of whether she was properly prepared to face it or not.
A Call for Help
Screaming was the only action that came to Alandria’s mind at that precise time, so of course, she let out a piercing wail. And who among us, if placed in Alandria’s perilous circumstance, wouldn’t let out a scream? At McDonald’s, of all places, no one ever anticipates that their water may suddenly break.
After the intensity of her contractions increased, Alandria knew it was hopeless that she would make her way to the hospital. So, she continued yelling in the vain expectation that someone would eventually pay attention.
At Last, Someone Heard Her Screams
And thankfully for her, the General Manager of the restaurant named, Tunisia Woodward, heard Alandria’s screams and rushed over to see if she could help. It was obvious that the sound of someone in such pain and anguish in the restroom was out of the ordinary, so she went to check it out.
Tunisia stated the following to 11 Alive, “I thought they was joking, and I open this door, didn’t see anyone, but I saw feet [under the toilet stall door].”
A Baby Will Be Born
As a matter of fact, what Tunisia saw when she eventually opened the door to the restroom made her realize that Alandria had not been joking at all. As soon as Tunisia opened the door to the cubicle, it was crystal clear to her why Alandria was yelling so loudly.
“I opened [the door] and she was on this toilet lying back, screaming.” She added that she realized that she needed to inform her crew that they were having a baby today!
An Uncontrollable Scenario
Keisha Blue-Murray and Sha’querria Kaigler, two of Woodward’s coworkers, dashed inside the restroom as soon as the door opened. At this moment, they were not the only ones who could hear Alandria screaming for assistance. Others were also able to hear her cries.
And Deandre, who had been sitting impatiently in the car the entire time, was aware that he needed to go after his partner to check on her and make sure she was okay. So everyone found themselves in the middle of a pretty crazy scenario.
They Reacted Instinctively
“[Deandre] ran into [Blue-Murray and Kaigler] at the same time and said, ‘Babe, are you alright?’” Alandria informed 11 Alive, to which she responded, “No, she’s coming! She’s coming!” She was screaming frantically. “We’re about to have a baby.”
Deandre was given a warning by Alandria, and as she would subsequently explain, “His instincts kicked in immediately.” Despite the fact that none of the five people there had any prior knowledge in the medical field, they still took a minute to evaluate the current scenario.
Keeping Cool and Composed
Deandre responded to the challenge in spite of the fact that he was confronted with an extremely chaotic scenario. He divulged this information to 11 Alive, saying Alandria was screaming while sitting on the toilet. He attempted to soothe her nerves since she was acting hysterical. “Just breathe,” he told Alandria as he tried to keep her quiet.
That’s all Deandre and the three courageous McDonald’s employees could do at that point. They also needed to think quickly and come up with a strategy.
Calling 911 for Assistance
They had no choice but to dial 911. Help from the fire department or police should be able to figure this out. The 911 operator indeed gave Deandre useful birthing advice. “I got [Alandria] on the floor, and I took off my clothes,” Deandre said.
The women at McDonald’s surrounded her, clutching her hands from the front. When Deandre’s cherished fiancée’s legs were propped up on his knees, and her hands were clutched securely, he knew there was only one thing left for her to do.
Delivering the Baby
Deandre explained, “We told her to push three pushes.” He also added, “She was a fighter.” Thankfully, by this time, Deandre was on the line with a 911 operator who could lead them throughout the process of delivering the baby.
She did her best to push despite this. It was still a dangerous decision to have Deandre and the other workers at McDonald’s deliver the baby on their own because there were no medical specialists around.
The Stroke of Luck
But Deandre didn’t dwell on the negative aspects of the situation. He thought that it was best that some people were there to help him. “I wouldn’t be able to multitask if I was on the highway in the car and the traffic!” Deandre noted.
Considering that horrific possibility, Deandre was fortunate that they were not moving on their way to the hospital when Alandria’s water broke. The McDonald’s workers who assisted him throughout labor and delivery were a stroke of luck.
The Miracle Unfolds
And why was it so lucky the McDonald’s workers were there? Because each one of them had already gone through the labor and delivery process! “We all are mothers, and so we put our heads together,” Woodward revealed to the 11 Alive news station. “All we needed daddy to do was catch the baby. And he did!”
Incredible as it may seem, after only fifteen minutes of struggle, Deandre did nothing but watch as the life-giving miracle took place right in front of his very eyes. He patiently waited with his arms held wide.
Holding Their Newborn
“Yes,” Deandre said with a grin, “She popped out onto my hand!” The fact that the new parents had to give birth without the assistance of modern medicine in a restroom at McDonald’s may sound undesirable. Still, the best thing they could do was to see the silver lining in the situation.
They were now holding the infant who had been making them so anxious all along. And when the weary but overjoyed parents cradled their newborn, they felt a greater power guiding them.
A Peculiar Moniker
Considering that they were in the ladies’ room at McDonald’s when their child was born, Alandria and Deandre couldn’t help but conclude that there must have been some sort of divine hand intimately involved in the circumstances surrounding the birth of their child.
Perhaps it was predetermined for them to end up there at that location. Additionally, it is something unique they can share. In fact, due to the unusual circumstances of her birth, the newborn was given a peculiar nickname.
“McDonald’s Little Nugget”
A baby being delivered within the confines of a McDonald’s restaurant is not something that happens on a daily basis. The infant needed a cute nickname with a McDonald’s theme, and the workers at McDonald’s already had one chosen out. Woodward told 11 Alive, “I said, we’re going to name her ‘Little Nugget.’”
That’s her nickname–‘McDonald’s Little Nugget.’ And once all of the commotion and excitement had subsided, Alandria was able to think back on the unique delivery experience.
“It Fits Her”
“Life’s amazing right now; never would I ever [have] thought I would deliver my own baby!” Naturally, the proud parents decided to give their child a proper name and chose Nandi Ariyah Morémi Phillips.
Despite the fact that she has a lovely given name, it appears that she will also be known by the nickname forever! After all, Deandre chuckled and said, “She’s definitely a nugget. My parents loved the name, too. We were like, okay, it fits her.”
Employee Awards
What happened to the three heroic employees who suddenly decided to become makeshift midwives and deliver a baby instead of just flipping burgers? They were thanked and awarded by Steve Akinboro, the proprietor of the restaurant, with gift cards to the value of $250 each, which undoubtedly would have made their Thanksgiving vacation more enjoyable.
Woodward went so far as to reveal to 11 Alive that she planned to use the money from her gift card to purchase something new for baby Nandi.
Gifts for Little Nugget
Woodward announced to 9-News that he was going to spend all of his reward money on Little Nugget. “This was my reward,” Woodward said. But everything is going to end up with her.
Charmingly, the experience had not only left her with the urge to lavish the tiny angel with gifts but had also impacted her on a particularly profound level. The event had left her with the urge to pamper the little darling with clothes and nappies, some onesies, and some socks.
A Wake-up Call
“It gave me a new look, a new awe,” remarked Woodward, who spoke as though the event had profoundly altered who she was as a person. “It woke me up. Just helping bring a life in! It was just amazing.”
It was evident that she meant all that she was saying, as she confessed that she never thought that Nandi’s birth would have spurred her to engage in something she’d always wanted. She added, “I’ve been on a high ever since.”
A Spark of a New Dream
“Even today, cooking, it put a spark in me to just go for one of my dreams and go to culinary school,” admitted Woodward. “So, that’s what I be doing after Little Nugget sparked me up!”
It was a lovely realization of how dramatically a birth can touch others since Nandi was altering not just the lives of her parents, but she has brought about changes in the lives of those who assisted her parents in giving birth to her. Even Akinboro was affected emotionally by the event.
Authentic Community Service
Akinboro couldn’t pass up the chance to engage in some underhanded promotion for his company, but he also made it a point to acknowledge the efforts of his staff publicly.
In an interview with 11 Alive, he stated, “We don’t just serve food, we strive to serve feel-good moments every day, and this was, in fact, the epitome of a feel-good moment for my team.” He also mentioned, “These three local Atlanta employees are a fantastic example of our crew making a difference for our customers and local communities.”
Nandi’s Baby Shower
It’s not surprising that Akinboro made a big deal out of Alandria and Deandre, either. One week after Nandi made her unannounced appearance in the restroom of his McDonald’s branch, Akinboro asked the family back to the establishment for a baby shower celebration!
Nandi was one week old at the time of the event. They were provided with a large number of baby necessities, including clothing, toys, diapers, and wipes, in addition to $500 cash, which they were free to use however they saw fit.
Not the Best Plan at All
During a second interview with the couple, which was conducted by Atlanta News First, Alandria said that she had some trouble during the actual delivery of the baby. “I was like, ‘I don’t want to do it in here.’ They were like, ‘you have no choice–she is coming.’ So, everybody tried to keep me calm. This was not the ideal plan at all!”
The workers at McDonald’s stated that they were terrified, too, despite the fact that things turned out okay in the end.
An Unforgettable Experience
“There’s screaming, she’s busting out a sweat, she’s in labor – ‘We’re about to have a baby.’” Kaigler recalled.
“I was really hoping the ambulance would get here before the baby. I’m not a doctor, I’m a mom. I gave birth but being on the other end, it’s something completely different!” Blue-Murray went on to say that the worry that she felt while delivering Nandi, as well as the excitement that she felt after she was delivered, was something significant that she would never forget.
Perhaps It Was Divine Intervention
In the end, we’ll simply let Deandre, who recently became an actual father, have the final word. On Facebook, where he was constantly writing about the life-altering event, he wrote: “I had the EMS people watching me like, ‘oh, he knows what he’s doing.’ I didn’t know [anything – the] spirit took control of me!”
It’s an intriguing idea, don’t you think? It’s possible that there was a divine intervention from up above in that McDonald’s restroom, which was the reason why everything turned out great.
