Deployed Airman witnesses daughter's birth via Internet

  • Published
  • By Lisa Camplin
  • 95th Security Forces Squadron
EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. (AFPN) --  For Airman 1st Class Roger Prokes, a patrolman with the 95th Security Forces Squadron here, being deployed didn't mean he would miss the birth of his daughter. 

Modern technology would see to that. 

"Just in case my husband wasn't back, I had spoken with the director of labor and delivery at my hospital about using a Web cam during delivery," said his wife, Janelle.

And so, when Mrs. Prokes entered the San Antonio Community Hospital in Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., for a Caesarean section Sept. 11, a Web cam was there, broadcasting the entire procedure to Airman Prokes, who was thousands of miles away in Iraq.

"I went in for surgery around 7:30 a.m. and I was very scared," Mrs. Prokes said. "The staff had the computer and Web cam already set up when I got in there. All the nurses and doctors talked to me and calmed me down and the nurses ensured they were typing what I wanted to my husband through MSN Messenger."

The San Antonio Community had never used a Web cam to broadcast a live birth before. Because of this, and the Prokes' unique situation, it became an emotional event for all involved. The staff even distributed and wore patriotic surgical hats during the procedure. 

The result was Emma Prokes, who was born at 8:25 a.m., weighing 6 pounds, 14 ounces.

"My husband was able to watch Emma's birth with the help of the Red Cross," Mrs. Prokes said. "He reserved a room for four hours and was able to see the whole surgery."

Airman Prokes is extremely grateful he was able to witness Emma's birth and be supportive of his wife. Mrs. Prokes was grateful too, and said this deployment has been very difficult for them both due to a complicated pregnancy.

"I felt very scared to be a mother for the first time especially since my husband is deployed," she said. "But it was very special that he was able to see the birth of our first child being so far across the world with a 10 hour time difference." 

Now, she can't wait for the family to be reunited.

"I can't wait for him to meet Emma. Being a mother is the most amazing thing I have ever felt," Mrs. Prokes said. "I'll know all the suffering was worth it the minute I see him holding her for the first time."

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