A father has jumped on a helicopter in a frantic attempt to witness the birth of his son in the middle of a cyclone.
Nick Schryvers, 28, was working in Golden Bay on New Zealand’s South Island on Wednesday when he received a call from his partner Bec Brown telling him she was about to give birth to their son Artie, the New Zealand Herald reported.
The baby was arriving two days earlier than expected, and Mr Schryvers found himself stuck in Golden Bay after a main road was cut off due to damage from Cyclone Gita.
Nick Schryvers, 28, (centre) was working in Golden Bay on New Zealand’s South Island on Wednesday when he received a call from his partner Bec Brown (left) telling him she was about to give birth to their son Artie
The baby was arriving two days earlier than expected, and Mr Schryvers found himself stuck in Golden Bay after a main road was cut off due to damage from Cyclone Gita
Mr Schryvers’ boss then came up with the idea of using a helicopter they had been using to help make their deliveries
The cyclone has ravaged parts of New Zealand for the past week, and Mr Schryvers began weighing up his options to get to the birth.
‘Missing it wasn’t an option. I was going to make it one way or another,’ he said.
He tried to book a flight but found they were booked out, and then thought about taking a four-hour bike ride to the hospital in Nelson.
Ms Brown told him time was running out.
‘I just had the feeling that it was going to happen that day, so I called him about midday and said ‘I think you’re going to need to get over here faster than on a bike’,’ she said.
Mr Schryvers’ boss then came up with the idea of using a helicopter they had been using to help make their deliveries.
Artie is the couple’s first child together, but Mr Schryvers has two other sons, six-year-old Solly and Indie, 4
Mr Schryvers was told there was a ‘slight chance’ he could fly on board the helicopter and be taken to Nelson.
There ended up being enough room for him and he flew to the hospital, and five hours after he landed his son Artie was born.
‘It was completely emotionally overwhelming. It didn’t really hit until the next day when I was holding him and I thought you know, I could have easily missed this. I didn’t want to miss it for the world.’
Artie is the couple’s first child together, but Mr Schryvers has two other sons, six-year-old Solly and Indie, 4.
There ended up being enough room for him and he flew to the hospital from Golden Bay (pictured), and five hours after he landed his son Artie was born