Whoa Baby!

The early morning hours of January 25 proved to be quite exciting for Leighanne Knospler and Adam Finlay. Their son Peyton Alexander made an unexpected entrance into the world.

Knospler was feeling sick and thought she had food poisoning. In reality, it was labor.

"I stood up from the shower and I heard a pop and I said 'Uh oh my water broke', so I went to the bedroom and woke up Adam and he just looked at me like a deer in headlights," said Knospler.

"She told me it was coming," recalls Finlay. "I said no it can't, it's not ready, she said it doesn't matter it's coming."

The family called 9-1-1 and within minutes Suffield Police Sgt. Thomas Van Tasel and Officer Justin Fuller were inside the house.

Realizing that the baby was coming faster than the ambulance could arrive, Sgt. Van Tasel sprang into action and delivered Peyton himself.  "It happened all real fast, but my first initial thoughts were wondering how far out the ambulance was, hoping they were going to be there, right around the corner, but the situation presented a little bit differently."

"I consider him a hero and am thankful he was here", said Finlay.

Sgt. Van Tasel doesn't consider himself a hero. He said he was just doing his job.

"It's something that we train for in our initial medical certification courses and re-certification courses but it's the skills you never think you're going to have to put to use in the field", said Sgt. Van Tasel.

As for Peyton, since he was 11 weeks early and only 3 pounds, 8 ounces, he's being kept in the neonatal intensive care unit at Baystate Medical in Springfield.  His parents can't wait to bring him home.

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