CLAREMORE —
Perhaps more than most, Ashlee Millison will never forget the winter of 2011.
Record snowfalls buried much of the state, with Rogers County being no exception, and Millison was among the many Claremore residents who found themselves facing streets and roads made impassible under feet of snow.
It also bears mentioning that at this time, Millison was pregnant.
Very pregnant.
So much so, that she went into premature labor on one of the worst days she could possibly need to go to the hospital, Feb. 1, with snow impacted-roadways making travel treacherous for her and her unborn baby.
Although she made it safely to Claremore Regional Hospital, there were complications and her baby had to be taken by Caesarian Section and soon began to develop breathing problems — problems that the Claremore hospital didn’t have the equipment to address.
Pediatrician Dr. William Barnes picks up the story from here.
“I’ll never forget that day; I don’t think any of us will,” Dr. Barnes recalls. “Ashlee’s baby — a little boy named Carter — was developing significant respiration problems and when I was called. I knew we needed to get him to the Intensive Care Unit at St. Francis (in Tulsa), but with all the snow, getting him and Ashlee there wasn’t going to be easy.”
Easy or not, Barnes contacted the Claremore Fire Department and found several volunteers willing to do whatever it took to transport mother and child safely across the snowy streets between Claremore and Tulsa.
“People who remember that day remember driving was impossible. Even emergency vehicles were running off the roads and couldn’t get through — the roads were simply too dangerous,” Barnes said, “but that didn’t discourage the firemen. They arranged vehicles to transport mother and child, with an entourage of emergency responders, doctors, nurses, and others lending support for the treacherous trip.”
Claremore fireman Ken Willhoite remembers:
“It probably took us two hours to make a trip that normally might take 20 minutes, but we had to go slow. We couldn’t risk getting stuck but we knew we couldn’t risk not going — Carter’s life literally depended on it,” Willhoite said.
After two long hours, mother and son Millison arrived at St. Francis, where Carter began receiving treatments which led to him stabilizing and improving.
Today, Carter is just over 1 year old, healthy, happy and none the worse for his experience.
For those who remember it however, his birthday proved a date to commemorate, not simply for it being his birthday, but for all those responsible for him living to celebrate it.
In recognition of the 1-year anniversary of Carter’s birth, his family, Claremore firemen and Dr. Barnes gathered at Fire Station 1 in Claremore on Wednesday in an informal ceremony to reflect and celebrate.
“The firemen that day went beyond the call of duty — I have no doubt their actions that day saved this little boy’s life,” Barnes said, moved with emotion. “They took a critically ill preemie into Tulsa to receive lifesaving care when no other emergency vehicles were capable because of what I think of as the ‘snowstorm of the Century.’ I for one, think that deserves recognition and thanks.”
Dr. Barnes then presented the firemen with a plaque of appreciation, after which, the Millison family gave the firemen framed photographs of “snow baby” Carter.
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Dr. William Barnes recently honored members of the Claremore Fire Department for helping to save the life of then-newborn, Carter Millison. Millison, who celebrated his first birthday on Feb. 1, was born by Caesarian Section and developed health issues, having to be transported to a Tulsa hospital during last year’s record-breaking snowfall in Oklahoma. Carter his family were on-hand to visit with the firemen whom Dr. Barnes’ credits with going “above and beyond the call of duty” to save his life. Among those present were Dr. William Barnes (back, from left), 4-year-old Braedyn, Aarin Millison, Carter and Ashlee Millison, (front) Claremore Fire Chief Sean Douglas and fireman Ken Willhoite. Tom Fink
Saving ‘Snow Baby’
Claremore doctor honors firemen for helping save newborn during 2011 blizzard
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