GERMANTOWN, Wis. — Every expecting mother has a birth plan, but for a Germantown family it didn't go how they thought it would, and it definitely didn't include an officer being there.
Christine Rukis is a mom to two young boys, both delivered at Children's Wisconsin, and didn't expect anything different for the third baby Rukis.
However, things took a turn when she woke up to severe contractions.
"I don't have much of a birth plan other than make sure the baby gets delivered safely," Rukis said.
Her baby was delivered safely, but it happened all on the bathroom floor in her home on Sunday.
#NEW: Every mom has a birth plan, but for a Germantown family it didn’t go as they’d hope.
— Ubah Ali (@UbahDAli) April 15, 2022
- In fact, Christine Rukis never expected officer Pesch to be involved.
Tonight at 10, I’ll explain how this special bond was formed. pic.twitter.com/ZD1L1kFzK7
Rukis is a neonatal nurse and she knew there was no way they were going to make it to hospital. So, she asked her husband to get towels and call 911.
Germantown police officer Justin Pesch was the one dispatched. He has been on the force for over six years and Sunday night changed his life.
"It happened so fast, I didn't really have time, so I did what I could out of instinct," Pesch smiled.
Rukis started pushing on the bathroom floor with officer Pesch and her husband by her side.
"When the baby first got delivered after a few seconds, he started crying," Pesch said. "That was a relieving experience."
Mason Rukis was born on April 10 at 11:54 p.m.
"He realizes he's the third, so he had to make a big entrance," Rukis laughed holding Mason.
Pesch, who isn't a father, said it was a huge honor and very humbling.
"Not only did I get to assist with the childbirth, but I also cut the umbilical cord," Pesch said.
Rukis credits Pesch for calming her through a tough moment in her life.
"I don't know if it would have gone as smoothly if officer Pesch was not as calm," she said.
Through his grand entrance, Mason made a lifelong friend in Pesch, and doesn't even know it yet.
"I can't foresee him not being apart of Mason's life after helping bring him into the world," Rukis stated.
