Baby's Fine After Bus Op Helps Mother Deliver on B37

Bus Operator Christopher Accettulli
Bus Operator Christopher Accettulli

JANUARY 26—Bus Operator Chris Accettulli, who works out of Jackie Gleason Depot in Brooklyn, followed a 911 operator's instructions to help a mother give birth on his B37 bus, multiple news outlets reported on Friday.

As he was driving on 3rd Ave. near 20th St. in Gowanus at about 10:00 a.m., Accettulli said he heard a woman in the middle of the bus of the say the word "hospital".

"I looked up and I saw ladies standing up in the back of the bus," the Operator told 1010WINS.

He pulled into the next stop and two passengers on the bus exited, one telling the Operator they thought a woman was giving birth.  Then he saw that woman, very pregnant, coming to the front of the bus, and kneeling down. Accettulli called supervision and then spoke to a 911 Operator.

On the phone with EMS, Accittulli told the 911 operator that the baby was coming. As he helped the pregnant passenger get into a better position, her water broke, and she quickly gave birth.

"I picked up the baby. 911 said you have to have something to put her in. I put the baby in my sweater, wrapped her up, rubbed her back to make sure she was aware," said Accittulli, according to 1010 WINS.

Responding EMTs took charge taking mother and baby to NewYork-Presbyterian Brooklyn Methodist Hospital, reported PIX11.

“I’m just happy the baby is doing fine,” Accettulli told the TV station. “I am just doing what any regular person would do. If somebody is having issues, you help them the best that you can.”

TA Surface VP Gary Rosario said his members had years of experience dealing with difficult situations on the job.

"Sometimes our Operators are put into a situation that's not planned, and we have to act. We have to be ready for the unexpected."

He noted that Bus Operators often take the initiative in cases like this, but those events often go unrecognized, citing a recent example of another Operator who performed CPR on a bus out of East New York.