Spencer police officer delivers baby Jesus days before Christmas
Spencer, Okla. (KFOR) - A Christmas miracle arrived days early for one family with the help of a Spencer Police Officer.
The officer's quick thinking while responding to a routine call helped bring new life into the world.
Officer King Gates said he got the call to respond to a home in Spencer after reports of a baby born at home several hours earlier.
Expecting a challenging situation, he swung over to the home to lend a helping hand.
But when he arrived, he was surprised to find the baby wasn't out yet.
"The information [this dispatchers] were giving us, that's one time I can say I was glad [it] was wrong information," he said in an interview Friday.
"When I got [and saw] there's a chance the baby got life ... that was good."
Officer Gates sprang into action until more help arrived.
"I put my gloves on and went to work and helped this young lady deliver this baby boy," he said.
The officer says in the midst of the situation, he breathed a sigh of relief once he finally heard a familiar sound: the first cry.
"I rubbed his chest… he took his breath ... he started crying [and] it felt good," he added, saying the mother said she decided to name the baby 'Jesus'.
"I'll tell people, 'Hey, I delivered baby 'Jesus'...and there's the proof'," he added, chuckling at a photo he took with the new baby.
Officer Gates said he hopes sharing the story with others will add some extra help for the mom and baby as they transition to their new life at home.
Helping others is what he loves most about his job as a police officer.
"The part about being an officer I love is the service part, and to be able to get there in time and serve my community because it was in Spencer, Oklahoma, God's country. So I love every bit of it," he said.
Officer Gates said the delivery went smoothly with the help of Oklahoma County Deputy Francisco Gomez, who arrived shortly after he did.
The mother and baby were released from Oklahoma Children's Hospital Friday afternoon and are doing well.