Cape Cod Couple Delivers Baby on Highway During Unexpected Birth

A Cape Cod couple, Rebecca and Danya Mahota, experienced an extraordinary birth story when their daughter arrived unexpectedly while they were en route to the hospital. On August 8, as they drove to Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital in Plymouth, Rebecca's water broke just 26 minutes into their journey. With no time to spare, Danya pulled over to the side of the highway, where he delivered their daughter, Summer, with no medical training. “One contraction later, he had pulled over to the side of the road, I was already holding her head,” Rebecca recounted. In a humorous twist, after the birth, the couple decided to wait for first responders in a Dunkin’ parking lot, a quintessentially Massachusetts choice. Danya joked about the experience, saying, “They handed me a sterilized X-Acto knife, and I, like every Massachusetts father, cut my baby’s umbilical cord in a Dunkin’ Donuts parking lot.” Both mother and baby were later taken to the hospital for monitoring, where they remained for a few days before returning home. However, the couple faced a minor setback upon arriving at the hospital, discovering that Danya's wedding ring was missing, likely lost during the delivery. While they quickly located Rebecca's phone using GPS, finding the ring took several days and the help of friends and a metal detector. Danya eventually found the ring just eight feet from where the phone was located, adding to the memorable story of their daughter's dramatic entrance into the world.