Baby born in hospital elevator early Wednesday morning doing well | Community Spirit

His unofficial nickname is Blake the Snowflake Otis Michael Thacker.

Snowflake in honor of the deep snow outside, Otis in honor of the broken elevator where he was born - but mom Katie is hoping that one doesn't stick.

Baby Blake was born in a St. Joseph Medical Center elevator just after 5:45 this morning, after a harrowing drive from Graham, a quick stop in the emergency room and an elevator ride that stopped short of its destination.

"Am I really in an elevator?" Katie says she asked herself after giving birth to Blake. "Did I really have my baby in an elevator?"

Katie's husband Luke says the drive from Graham to Tacoma took the couple nearly twice as long as it usually does because of icy conditions as the winter storm settled in.

As they drove, Katie's labor got more intense.

"Katie was probably ready to push before we got there," Luke said.

The couple arrived at St. Joseph and checked in in the emergency room before boarding an elevator to head to the hospital's 14th floor. Partway up, the elevator seemed like it wasn't going to make it, so the group began to disembark to take a new elevator. Before they could get Katie off, though, the elevator doors closed and it started climbing again, coming to a stop between the 12th and 14th floors.

"We went up to the 14th floor [in a different elevator] expecting the doors to open shortly," said Luke. They didn't. "I don't think she was in the elevator more than 10 or 15 minutes, and then I heard my son cry."

The elevator remained stuck for about two hours - long enough for Blake to be born, Luke to climb down and cut the umbilical cord, and everyone inside to clamber safely out.

"I was in such hard labor, I was just thinking 'Are you kidding me?'" Katie said.

The couple describe the experience as an "adventure," and praise the staff of the St. Joseph birth center for their help and professionalism.