SECAUCUS AND BEYOND — As the wind howled and rain slanted down amid Hurricane Sandy’s fury, Magdelene was born at Meadowlands Medical Center last week.
Born to Rachel Nijinimbam, 31 years old, an event coordinator, originally from Ghana, and her husband, Mathias Shotolu, 45 years old, a businessman, originally from Nigeria, Magdelene arrived at 1:17 a.m. as the storm waged outside and tides rose, a miracle of birth amid one of the worst storms to ever hit the metropolitan area.
Although power outages savaged most of Hudson County, Meadowlands Medical Center – located in Secaucus on the banks of the Hackensack River – maintained power and thus light and warmth thanks to back up generators.
When the power was lost to MHMC and the Secaucus, area, Dr. Miriam Langer, an experienced and passionate health provider and her staff, worked tirelessly against the winds and the early hours to provide a miracle to a mother, who blessed and relieved after the whole procedure was over. Now Magdelene will join her older 2-year-old sister Emma, and go back home to Bayonne safely with her parents.
In a press release issued after the event, hospital officials said, “HMC has gone above and beyond the call of duty to make sure these kinds of miracles happen, even when conditions are at their worst. We made sure that everyone who needs medical attention will be as comfortable as possible with extra bedding and emergency provisions. In addition, we had fully staffed and equipped two Alternate Care Sites in West New York and at the Huber Street Elementary School in Secaucus. These two emergency medical centers were set up as part of our commitment to continue providing miracles.”
The released went on to say, “How does MHMC make miracles happen every day? For us, it is simply a combination of professionalism and heart, merging the best doctors with the best equipment, coupled with an incredible maintenance and nursing staff. All miracles need help and Meadowlands delivers everyday, rain or shine.”