• Stefani Chanel Gómez

  • Mexico - Vancouver

Art by Emily Honderich

Stefani Chanel Gómez story

Stefani Chanel Gómez is a new young mom. She came from Mexico and has been living in Canada since 2018. She was working in retail before the pandemic, and she is now on maternity leave.

Our Miracle During the Pandemic

During my pregnancy, my husband and I had big plans. We were so excited about my family’s visit from Mexico to prepare a baby shower for us and share the most precious time of our lives during the birth of our first baby. 

It was like a beautiful dream that almost came true. But COVID-19 had different plans. It appeared like a storm that affected everything around us. My family could not come, and we ended up alone in the hospital as first-time parents. But luckily, I had my husband and my husband’s family here that could visit us after a while because of the situation. 

It was April 2020 when we went to the hospital in Vancouver to meet our baby, hoping for the best, but because of the pandemic, there was no space for us. They sent us to Burnaby Hospital just in time for my contractions to start. I was scared and in pain. Then, after three hours in labour, I was told I needed an emergency C-section. Once again, things were out of my control.

Luckily it all went well, and our angel arrived in good health. We were so happy to be with our baby girl. However, being in that hospital room with no one to visit, support or celebrate this miracle with us also made us feel strangely sad and alone on such a happy and important day in our lives.

"It was like a beautiful dream that almost came true. But COVID-19 had different plans. It appeared like a storm that affected everything around us. My family could not come, and we ended up alone in the hospital as first-time parents."

- Stefani Chanel Gómez