As a Pennsylvania dad adjusts to raising a new life, he’s coping with the loss of another.
Orlando Martinez was sitting in his wife April’s hospital room as they awaited the arrival of their baby boy Luciano, WBAL11 reports.
However, when April’s water broke, things took a turn for the worse. Suddenly, she was unable to breathe and started to collapse.
Doctors successfully delivered the baby boy, but unfortunately, could not save April’s life.
Orlando is now a single father.
He said:
“Hard, really hard. I don’t want to think. I don’t want to do anything.”
According to WBAL11, Orlando said his wife died from amniotic fluid embolism, which caused her condition to quickly worsen.
Mayo Clinic reports that “amniotic fluid embolism is a rare but serious condition that occurs when amniotic fluid — the fluid that surrounds a baby in the uterus during pregnancy — or fetal material, such as fetal cells, enters the mother’s bloodstream.”
Furthermore, the clinic states that symptoms include trouble breathing, sudden low blow pressure, chills, seizures, rapid heart rate, and bleeding from the uterus.
Orlando and April were married for 18 months before her death. Now, Orlando looks at his son Luciano as a reminder of their love.
The new dad said:
“He’s beautiful and he’s April and me.”
Further, Orlando said he plans to make a book out of his and his late wife’s text messages to give to his son when he’s older.
One of April’s former classmates has set up a GoFundMe to raise money for Orlando and his son.