photo courtesy of Advocate Health Care
On September 17, Harold Rahming, a United States National Guard captain, surprised his wife, who was in the hospital about to give birth to their child.
The heartwarming reunion was the result of good timing and God’s favor. Although Harold was meant to be discharged a few days after he actually came home, the captain pulled some strings to be released a few days earlier– once he received news that the baby would be coming sooner than expected. He traveled from Iraq to Illinois to be there for his wife.
Cara had been experiencing unusual oddities in the baby’s usual movements days before her due date. After raising her concerns with her doctor, she was admitted to the Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn. As reported by Good Morning America, Harold teamed up with the nursing staff to surprise her.
“There were times that I didn’t think I was gonna make it,” the soldier said, “I figured I probably could make September 22; that was kind of the plan, to be in the hospital by the time the baby was discharged.”
He recalled how he pulled it off, “I rallied up the nurses, and everybody was on board to surprise her, and we just waited till she came out.”
As Cara got up to go to the bathroom, she came out to find nurses waiting for her.
“I saw multiple nurses with their phones out. And I was like, ‘Wait, why are they recording me coming out of the restroom?’” Cara said. She continued, “Then I see him to the left in his full military uniform. And there’s like no words to express…Because I didn’t know he was coming home. I just knew I was in the hospital, I was being induced, and there was a baby coming soon. And there were a lot of emotions to process, but I know the definite emotion I felt once I saw him was joy.”
Harold greeted his wife in full uniform with a big smile.
Their reunion baby was born via a c-section, and Harold praised his wife to the outlet for her strength during the procedure. “She’s very resilient and very courageous. She took seconds to say, ‘You know what, this is what we have to do to ensure my safety and the baby’s safety,’”
The couple is both happy and healthy at home following their surprise reunion.