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When Chris and Tiffany Seaford dialed 911 just before midnight on Nov. 1, 2024, they knew their second child wasn’t going to wait for the hospital.
What they didn’t know was that on the other end of the line was someone who not only knew exactly what to do – but had been in their shoes not long ago.
The Seafords, residents of Mocksville, were preparing for the arrival of their baby boy when Tiffany suddenly went into active labor. Realizing they weren’t going to make it to the hospital, Chris called 911 in a moment of urgency and hope.
The call was answered by Ryan Hepler, a Davie County 911 telecommunicator and a young father himself. Calm and composed, Hepler began guiding Chris through a sequence of steps to help deliver the baby safely.
“Ryan’s voice was steady, clear, and gave me the confidence I didn’t know I had,” Chris said. “He talked me through everything – what to watch for, how to support Tiffany, how to care for the baby the moment he arrived. He was incredible.”
From instructions on monitoring contractions to how to safely support the baby during delivery and ensure the newborn was breathing, Hepler provided care from a distance. In what felt like an eternity and a flash, baby Levi entered the world healthy, crying, and into his parent’s hands.
First responders arrived just moments later, stepping into a home already filled with the first sounds of new life.
During the nationally recognized Telecommunicators Week in April, the Seafords made a trip to the Davie County 911 Center to show their appreciation and let Telecommunicator Hepler and the rest of the 911 staff meet baby Levi.
Nearly five months later, Levi is thriving and the Seafords remain grateful for the voice that carried them through their most intense moment.
“He was our calm in the storm,” Tiffany said. “We’ll never forget what Ryan did for us that night.”
For Hepler, it was just another shift, but one that he says will stay with him forever.
“Helping bring a new life into the world, especially as a parent myself, was an experience I’ll never forget,” he said. “It’s a reminder of how powerful this job can be.”