A young mum who went into labour in the midst of a devastating snowstorm in Buffalo, New York, has praised God after being rescued by a paediatric nurse who just happened to be stranded nearby.
Bethany Hojnacki went into labour early on Tuesday morning, but the "lake-effect" snowstorm, which has claimed the lives of eight people in three days, meant she was unable to get to the hospital.
Her husband, Jared, went to ask some nearby fireman assisting a stranded motorist for help, only to find that the woman in the car was a labour and delivery nurse. She stayed with Bethany until the fire department was able to collect her in the afternoon.
However, roads clogged with stranded cars meant the vehicle couldn't get to the hospital, and instead took Bethany to a fire station, where a maternity nurse was also stranded.
"It was kind of incredible. God really put the people who needed to be in the right spot for us at the right time," Jared Hojnacki told CNN on Wednesday.
The couple's daughter, Lucy Grace Hojnacki, was born just after 9:30pm, at the fire station. "Her name means grace illuminated," Bethany explained. "On a day that was so sad, how many people died – this baby is such a bright light in such a dark storm."
"It's not odds; it's God," Jared added. "It's more than amazing. We're so blown away by God's grace."
The weather in Buffalo is expected to get worse today, with another three feet of snow forecast in some areas. Parts of the city are already under over 5ft of snow.
"It's a force of nature, a massive force of nature,'' Deputy Erie County Commissioner Richard Tobe said during a briefing on Thursday morning.
"We're prepared, but the storm is gigantic and persistent."
