From roadside emergency to safe delivery

Late in her first pregnancy at just over 35 weeks, Susan Manzano began to feel that something was not right. She called her husband Carlos at work, and he rushed home to take her to an area hospital where they planned to deliver. But by the time he arrived home, Susan was disoriented and unable to communicate clearly. As they drove to the hospital, the situation escalated. Susan suddenly suffered a seizure. Carlos immediately pulled to the side of the road and called 911.

“I was scared, but I knew I couldn’t let the fear take over,” he later shared. “I had to stay calm, take it one step at a time, and the first step was calling 911.”

Emergency responders arrived quickly. Carlos remembers being grateful for how clear, calm, and decisive they were, explaining each step and determining the safest next move. When paramedics told him they would be taking Susan to UChicago Medicine AdventHealth Bolingbrook instead of the hospital they originally planned, Carlos did not hesitate.

“I trusted them completely,” he said. “They knew what they were doing, and they were focused on what was best for my wife and our baby.”

That urgency was visible to the entire Chicagoland area. ABC 7 Chicago aired helicopter footage showing the couple pulled over on the side of the road as emergency crews provided lifesaving care before transporting Susan to UChicago Medicine AdventHealth Bolingbrook.

When Susan arrived at the hospital, she was still disoriented from the seizure and already fully dilated and in active labor. The obstetrics team moved swiftly. Within minutes, baby Dante was born on December 17, weighing 4 pounds, 9 ounces. Because he arrived early, Dante was admitted to the hospital’s Level II Intermediate Care Nursery, where he could receive specialized care close to home.

For Carlos, the fear of that day was soon replaced by gratitude.

“The care was more than great. It was amazing,” he said. “What really stood out to me was that the quality never changed. It didn’t matter if it was a new shift or different nurses. Every single person gave the same level of compassion and care.”

Susan remained hospitalized for blood pressure management and further evaluation. After about two weeks, the family was finally able to head home together on New Year’s Eve.

Carlos shared how meaningful it was that Dante could remain at UChicago Medicine AdventHealth Bolingbrook rather than being transferred to Chicago. Staying close meant no separation from Susan and no long daily drives during an already emotional and exhausting time.

“We’re more than grateful,” Carlos said. “Being able to stay together, close to home, made all the difference for our family.”