Paisley Sandra-Lynn Cann wasn’t the first baby to be born on Vancouver Island in 2021.
But she will likely have the most interesting BC baby birth story, born somewhere in 2021, when she’s old enough for it.
Paisley Sandra-Lynn Cann was extradited on January 1 at 3:37 a.m. on the side of Highway 19 on the edge of the Campbell River in the back of an ambulance after her parents drove to the island from Port McNeill – about 200 km north – Dodging herds of elk, branches and brushes flying across the highway in front of the wind and hoping they’ll have enough fuel to make it all the way.
As it turns out, it didn’t, but they made it far enough to get a cell signal.
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Let’s step back a little.
Paisley’s mom, Melissa Jones, was due January 24th. She and her husband Blake Cann were embarking on a nondescript New Year’s Eve with their son Blake Jr. when Melissa’s labor began.
But she’d had contractions for a week and they didn’t feel any different.
However, when their water broke “somewhere around midnight,” they went to Port McNeill Hospital.
However, they were told the baby was not yet on the way and was sent home. They somehow knew otherwise, so they got in the car and drove to Campbell River.
It wasn’t until they neared Woss – less than a third of the way to Campbell River – that Blake checked his fuel gauge and saw the bad news.
“I knew Woss didn’t have a 24-hour gas station, so I was hoping we could make it to Sayward,” he says. “It was raining; branches literally flew across the highway from the gusts of wind. Water was pooling all over the road – I’m surprised I stopped aquaplaning – and there were moose everywhere. You could say it was pretty stressful. “
His tank light went on a little outside Sayward, “but they only have 24-hour diesel for commercial vehicles,” he says. “So we drove back onto the autobahn and prayed that we would make it. At least the light wasn’t blinking yet. “
Sayward to Campbell River is a 77 kilometer journey, so Blake was pretty sure they wouldn’t make it.
“My car is only supposed to stop 30 kilometers after the lights have been switched on, but somehow it kept going,” he says. “We made it over 60 kilometers and got cellular service about a kilometer from our destination.”
So they called 9-11 for an ambulance. It arrived about seven minutes later.
“We put them in the ambulance and when they hit the street the baby came and they had to go back. It was literally 30 seconds after the ambulance door closed that my wife gave birth to a child. “
Paisley set out into the world with the umbilical cord wrapped three times around his neck.
“I don’t think she would have made it if we’d had her in the car,” says Blake. “It was definitely a miracle. I’m so glad the ambulance came when it came. “
The family of four is now back home in Port McNeill, recovering from the ordeal and getting to know each other.
“We’re pretty tired,” says Blake. “But we’re happy, everyone is healthy – she passed all of her tests with flying colors – and now I’ll make sure I always have a full tank.”
Paisley Sandra-Lynn Cann weighed six pounds, three ounces.
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Births Campbell River
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