Influencer Hailey Okula tragically passed away following the birth of her first child, succumbing to ‘complications from childbirth’.
At 33, Hailey had captivated nearly one million followers on social media through her humorous and relatable content focused on nursing.
She also became well-known for openly sharing the challenging IVF journey she and her husband, Matthew Okula, underwent.
After a prolonged struggle with infertility, Hailey had been joyfully documenting her experiences of finally expecting a child.
Tragically, not long after the arrival of her son, Crew, Matthew announced her passing due to childbirth-related complications.
“It is with the heaviest of heart that I share the devastating news of the unexpected passing of my beautiful wife, Hailey Marie Okula, due to complications from childbirth,” the Instagram tribute post began.
Matthew expressed his profound grief, stating, “Words cannot convey the depth of the loss I feel. Hailey was more than I could have ever dreamed of in a wife and partner.”
“She was gorgeous, smart, hardworking, passionate, trustworthy, and above all else, unbelievably loyal. For nearly 13 years, she stood by my side in the hardest of times, loving me endlessly, even when I felt undeserving of that love. She was my everything.”
Working as a firefighter with the Los Angeles Fire Department, Matthew shared how they longed to be parents. After enduring years of fertility challenges, they were ‘overjoyed’ to finally anticipate the arrival of their child.
“Hailey faced every hurdle with so much courage and love—even though her body went through so much, she never wavered.
“I will never forget the moment I broke down, apologizing for the toll the process would take on her. She held my face, looked into my eyes, and said: ‘We are a team, and we’ll get through this together.’ That was Hailey. A fighter. A teammate. A woman who would do anything for the people she loved.”
Matthew commented that Hailey would have been an ‘amazing mom’ to Crew. Currently, the family is choosing to keep ‘certain details’ of her passing private.
“Please continue to hold our family, and especially little Crew, in your prayers as we learn to carry on without her. Her love and light will forever remain in all of our hearts,” he added.
In an interview with Fox 11 Los Angeles, Matthew disclosed that Hailey succumbed to a ‘very, very, very rare complication known as amniotic fluid embolism’.
Amniotic fluid embolism (AFE) is described as an obstetric emergency where amniotic fluid or other fetal material enters the mother’s bloodstream, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
He mentioned, “100 moms a year die from this condition,” emphasizing that there is no treatment or definitive diagnostic method for it. “It’s just so sad to think that other people have to go through what I’m going through right now.”
The National Institute of Health categorizes AFE as ‘unpredictable with an elusive origin’, highlighting that several factors may contribute to its occurrence.
Factors may include maternal age, cervical ripening, gestational diabetes, or conditions like asthma.
The rarity of this complication suggests it affects approximately 1.9 to 6.1 per 100,000 births, though exact figures are uncertain due to misdiagnosis and underreporting of nonfatal cases.