Trident Health CEO Reflects on Special Delivery, Staff Commitment during South Carolina Flood

In early October, an historic rainfall caused disastrous flooding across South Carolina. According to CNN, there were 17 weather-related deaths and approximately 600 rescues of people and animals reported in the state. However, in the wake of the devastation, there was a bright ray of sunshine. His name is Elijah.

Elijah was one of 24 babies born at HCA Healthcare’s Trident Medical Center during what experts are calling a 1,000-year rainfall, between October 1 and October 5. His mother, Tyshenequia McLean, whose experience was just as unique, went into labor that Sunday morning while trapped by high waters at her home in South Carolina’s Lowcountry.  After calling 911, emergency first responders waded through waist-deep water to deliver a kayak to the expectant mother, guide her to safety and transport her to one of the few Charleston hospitals open to emergency traffic due to flooding – Trident Medical Center.

Here at Trident, in the midst of record rainfall and historic flooding, Elijah made his appearance at 9:22 p.m. on October 4.  He was welcomed as all other Trident babies are: the chimes of the Brahms lullaby, playing throughout the hospital.

Watch the America This Morning segment on Tyshenequia’s rescue here.

For more than four years, Trident Health’s hospitals have had an OB/GYN Hospitalist Program, which provides 24/7 obstetrics and gynecology in-house coverage. This program is the only dedicated OB Hospitalist program in the Charleston region. Dr. Larry Wilson, one of Trident’s OB Hospitalists, was on hand to deliver baby Elijah safely into the world. Elijah was named Trident’s Baby of the Day on Tuesday, October 13.

As CEO of Trident Health, I commend the staff at all four Trident facilities for their dedication and commitment to patients and their families. At Trident Medical Center, we remained fully staffed and accepting patients throughout the South Carolina flood. The 313-bed facility had only one bed available by Tuesday, October 6, and we continued to care for an influx of patients seeking treatment.  In addition to patient care, our excellent human resources team organized an on-site day care for children of our staff, caring for 41 children over three days.