TORONTO — An Indian-origin taxi driver in Calgary delivered more than his passengers to a hospital on a frigid winter night, helping a woman give birth in the back seat of his cab just moments before reaching the emergency entrance.
According to local media reports, Hardeep Singh Toor responded late Saturday night to an urgent dispatch call for a ride to a hospital. When he arrived, he realized the situation was far more serious: a pregnant woman was in active labour, assisted by her partner.
“It was a pregnant lady, and her companion was helping her get in the cab. She was in pain,” Toor told CTV News.
Toor said he briefly considered calling an ambulance but decided to drive immediately after assessing the circumstances and the severe winter conditions.
“Her body language was telling me she didn’t have time,” he said. “I decided to drive.”
The journey, he recalled, felt like the longest 30 minutes of his life. Amid temperatures near –23 C, stormy weather, slippery roads and frequent red lights, Toor focused solely on getting the couple to the hospital safely. The back seat was filled with kicking and shouting as the woman’s labour intensified.
Just blocks from the Peter Lougheed Centre, Toor noticed the sounds from the back seat had suddenly stopped. Moments later, he realized the baby had been born—inside the cab—with the hospital already in sight.
“I did not stop,” Toor told Global News. “I was thinking I should get there as soon as possible to get them medical attention.”
When the taxi arrived at the hospital, staff rushed out to assist the mother and newborn. Toor stepped aside as medical personnel took over.
“They told me the mother and baby were doing well,” he said.
For Toor, who has been driving a taxi for four years, the experience was unforgettable.
“It’s my first experience getting two people in and three people out,” he said, calling the moment a source of pride.
Both the mother and baby were reported to be healthy following the unexpected delivery.