A Glenrock family experienced an unexpected delivery when their second son, Oliver, was born in a car at a gas station parking lot in Casper on Monday, his due date. Skylar and Kaleb Clayson were driving to Banner Wyoming Medical Center when Skylar’s water broke on the interstate. The couple pulled off the highway, and within minutes, Oliver arrived.
“We were just pulling off the interstate when I was feeling his head,” Skylar said. Kaleb called 911 at 6:40 a.m., and baby Oliver was born about one minute later at approximately 6:41 a.m.
Emergency responders from the fire department arrived first, followed by Banner Wyoming Medical Center paramedics Nicole Hodges and Randy Pickett. For Hodges, who has about seven years of experience as a paramedic, this was her first field delivery.
“This is definitely not what school prepares you for,” she said. “But we had so many hands there to help.”
Pickett has witnessed between 20 and 30 field births during his three-decade career as a paramedic. He noted that the situation went smoothly.
“It was a good call all the way around,” he said. “Everyone knew their role.”
The Claysons’ two-year-old son Malakai watched from the back seat during the birth.
“I think he was looking more at the fire trucks than he was looking at me,” Skylar said with a laugh. “It was just crazy.”
Afterward, mother and baby were transported by ambulance to Banner Wyoming Medical Center and admitted at 6:50 a.m., where both were reported to be doing well. Oliver weighed 7 pounds, 6 ounces.
Skylar had been experiencing contractions for weeks and visited the hospital the night before but returned home after being told to wait until labor progressed further. She woke Kaleb around 5 a.m. on Monday as contractions intensified.
“I had a feeling that he would be born on his due date,” Skylar shared. “I kept seeing the time 2:22, stuff like that.”
The family benefited from clear winter weather conditions during their drive.
“I’m just so glad it wasn’t snowing like it normally would be,” Skylar said. “We were going pretty fast.”
Family members planning to meet them at Banner Wyoming Medical Center instead gathered at the gas station to care for Malakai during the event.
Banner Wyoming Medical Center congratulated the Clayson family and acknowledged local emergency services for their quick response.
Banner Wyoming Medical Center is part of Banner Health, which operates facilities across Arizona, California, Colorado, Nebraska, Nevada, and Wyoming according to its official website. As one of the largest nonprofit health systems in the United States [source], Banner Health provides comprehensive services including hospitals and virtual visits while focusing on improving patient care through advanced technologies [source]. The organization emphasizes community benefits through its nonprofit activities [source].
