Woman gives birth on Northway

A special delivery has given a couple from Hudson Falls a story they’ll be telling their grandkids.

Brooklynn Alora Liberty Judson was born last week. Liberty is a family name, and now baby Brooklynn’s name, because she was born on the Northway in her parents’ Jeep Liberty.

Baby Brooklynn is healthy and at home now, weighing in at 5 lbs., 12 oz. Most parents think they’ll have an easier time with their second child, but in her first day on Earth, baby Brooklynn took her mom and dad on the ride of their lives.

It started when Sarah Denes’ water broke—and she and dad William Judson got in the car to make the trip from Hudson Falls to the hospital near Albany.

“Second contraction came, then the third one came, and I knew that’s what it was,” Denes explained.

As Judson sped down the highway, Denes realized baby Brooklynn was moving more quickly than he could drive.

“I pushed to try to make it to Albany, and just zipped my lips and didn’t tell him I was about to have the baby,” she said.

However, somewhere between exits 13 and 14, with the car still in motion, Brooklynn was on her way.

“I was scared. I didn’t know he was going to handle it the way that he did,” Denes said.

Judson, a chef by trade, stayed cool and even waited to pull off at the next exit to a Stewart’s where it was safe, despite the scene happening in the car.

“I told her, I said, make sure the baby’s nose and mouth are cleared out, make sure there’s nothing in there, and she was fine,” he said.

“For somebody who has not delivered a baby in a car, I swear he would’ve did it like 20 times. He was just so calm, not even a hesitation in his voice, when he was on the phone with the ambulance,” Denes said.

He tied off the umbilical cord himself, and waited for paramedics to arrive to get Denes to the nearest hospital.

“The head nurse told me when we got there, she said, ‘Well, I guess I’m going to give you half my paycheck for the day,’” Judson said.

Born in the early morning hours of Nov. 7, Brooklynn is already quite an expressive person, her parents said, if the way she came into the world is any indication of her personality.

“She’s totally perfect,” Judson said.