Louisville 911 call taker meets parents he helped talk through emergency childbirth

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- A 911 call that started with panic ended with a joyful reunion — and a lifelong bond — in Louisville.

For the first time Thursday, MetroSafe 911 call taker Anthony Gore met face to face with the parents he recently guided through an emergency home delivery over the phone.

That call came in May, when Heather Sutliff went into labor unexpectedly at home. Her fiancé, Ronnie Elzy, suddenly found himself in the role of delivery doctor. On the other end of the line, Gore calmly walked him through every step.

"The baby is coming out!" Elzy can be heard saying on the recorded 911 call. "Oh, my God, the baby is coming out! Push ... push ... push."

Sutliff said she's grateful for Gore's steady voice during the chaos.

Thank God for Anthony and for him, because, I don't know, for some reason, I just forgot to breathe," she said.

Elzy said the moments before the baby's cry were filled with fear.

"It was a frightening experience at first, because you never know what the outcome is gonna be," he said.

Gore said the moment he heard little Ronnie III cry, he knew things would be fine.

"When the baby starts crying, it's usually a good sign," Gore said. "And I heard little baby start crying. And I said, 'OK, it's downhill from here in a good way.'"

Because of the summer heat, baby Ronnie stayed home during the reunion. But his parents brought plenty of pictures.

Gore, a former prosecutor, said delivering a baby over the phone comes with highs that even a packed courtroom can't match.

"This is high stakes — life and death, joy, a lot of joy," Gore said. "As a former prosecutor, less joy (and) more matter of fact."

Although it began as a frantic call for help, it's a moment Gore and the family said they will never forget.

Top Stories:

Louisville's recent teenage violence renews push to reopen juvenile jail

Louisville leaders demand action after mother murdered walking daughter to bus stop

$1.25 million bond set for suspect in kidnapping of Louisville family, bank robbery