A South Florida woman is recovering after her car plunged into a pond on I-95 in Martin County on Friday morning, forcing doctors to deliver her baby by emergency C-section just hours later.
Appolon said she began feeling dizzy while driving, lost control of her vehicle and drove into the water. She immediately called her fiancé, Woody Sully.
“She said, ‘I’m in the water,’ and I pause,” said Sully. “I’m like, ‘You in what? Like did you get into an accident?”
The call then disconnected as the car sank front first. Appolon tried opening both front doors but couldn’t escape.
“I tried to open my driver’s side door and the passenger door, but they were both submerged in water, so I couldn’t get out,” she said. “I started feeling water on my feet, so I started to panic a little.”
A good Samaritan, Logan Hayes, swam about 40 feet to the car, opened a back door and pulled her to safety.
“When he swung that door open, I was just like, OK, you are an angel,” Appolon said.
Paramedics transported her to a Fort Pierce hospital, where doctors performed an emergency C-section. Hours later, after doctors delivered her baby by emergency C-section, she finally held her newborn daughter, Ivory, for the first time Monday.
“Feeling her breath like come in and out and her hands touch me and feeling her heartbeat,” said Appolon. “It was surreal.”
Ivory was born seven weeks early, weighing 3 pounds, 14 ounces.
Dr. David Rubay said Appolon was fortunate.
“She’s very lucky,” said Rubay. “She’s blessed. She lost the car, but she has a baby.”
Now recovering, Appolon said she looks forward to sharing the story with her daughter one day, especially since they now share a birthday.
“We can share this with her one day and I can laugh with her,” said Appolon. “And now that we share a birthday, our bond is just tighter than ever.”
Appolon is expected to be released from the hospital Tuesday, while Ivory will remain in the NICU for about two weeks as she learns how to eat on her own.
