You'll Never Believe What Matt Okula Said About Hailey's Final Moments

Hailey Okula’s widower is reflecting on her tragic death.

Shortly following the nursing influencer’s delivery of their son Crew on March 29, her spouse Matt Okula found himself confronted with an incomprehensible decision as the 33-year-old began to deteriorate rapidly.

“The doctor entered and informed me that they were performing CPR on her,” he said in an interview with FOX11 on April 2. “I found myself facing a difficult choice: should I accompany my wife to the ICU or stay with our newborn baby? This was not the decision I had anticipated making.”

Moments afterward, Matt announced that Hailey, better known as @rnnewgrads on the web, tragically passed away due to a cardiac arrest brought about by amniotic fluid embolism – an uncommon condition where fluid from the womb unexpectedly enters a mother’s bloodstream, as explained by the Cleveland Clinic. This heartbreaking event left me deeply saddened and shocked, as I had always admired her contributions to healthcare online.

It was confirmed by Matt, a firefighter who assisted in fighting the destructive Los Angeles fires in January, that Hailey indeed had the opportunity to meet her newborn before she sadly passed away. This suggests that she spent her final moments surrounded by love and life.

In a fleeting moment, I caught a glimpse of him, and let me tell you, I’ll never forget that instant forever etched in my memory.

Before Hailey passed away, the couple had spent several years working to start a family. They achieved success through in-vitro fertilization just last year. Matt confessed that he became emotionally overwhelmed by the physical strain their IVF journey put on Hailey, but he also remembered her optimistic attitude throughout the process.

He penned on Instagram on April 1st, ‘She gripped my face, met my gaze, and declared, “We’re a unit, we’ll navigate this together.” That was Hailey – resilient, cooperative, a woman who would go to great lengths for those she cherished.’

Which is why Matt said he was certain his late wife “would have been the most amazing mom” to Crew.

He went on to say, “Her essence, bravery, and affection will endure within our son,” adding, “and in the hearts of all those she positively influenced.

Keep scrolling for a closer look at Hailey and Matt’s journey…

Hailey Okula and Matt Okula embarked on their inaugural journey to Tahiti as a pair, and Hailey later posted a summary video of their getaway on Instagram in 2022, captioning it, “A brief compilation of our first stop in the French Polynesia.

Matt made a rare cameo in one of Hailey’s @rnnewgrads videos, where she showed off stylish scrubs.

In September 2024, Hailey announced that she and Matt were going to be parents, following a challenging two-year process involving in-vitro fertilization (IVF). On Instagram, she expressed her feelings by saying, “the road has been tough, but every step has been worth it.

In a post dated September 2024, Hailey expressed gratitude saying, “I understand that success with IVF isn’t guaranteed for everyone, but I feel incredibly fortunate and blessed because our initial transfer took hold.

Matt and Hailey joyously honored their newborn son, Crew, during a woodland-themed baby celebration with their loved ones at a February gathering. Hailey shared on Instagram, “Couldn’t have wished for a more fitting woodlands-inspired baby shower for our little one!

In April 2025, Matt shared that Hailey had died just minutes after welcoming Crew via c-section.

He expressed, in a message to Hailey’s nursing profile, that words fall short in expressing the profound sorrow he feels. Hailey exceeded all his dreams as a wife and companion.

2025-04-03 22:47

You’ll Never Believe What Matt Okula Said About Hailey’s Final Moments

Read More