SAN DIEGO – A Navy corpsman returned to San Diego to be there for the birth of his child, but he unexpectedly played a vital role in his baby daughter’s early arrival.

Jeremiah Sawyer flew home from Bahrain Wednesday, where he had been on deployment. He was home for about 90 minutes, looking to relax a bit and even get in a meal, but daughter Moxie decided to show up.

“She’s calm and she’s laid back. She’s pretty chill, actually,” said Moxie’s mom, Ashley Sawyer.

“It’s definitely the craziest. I still haven’t wrapped my head around it. I still can’t believe it,” Ashley said of the birth of her six-pound, 15-ounce daughter.

Ashley was not due to give birth until next week, but she began having contractions in the family’s living room at about 4:15 p.m. Wednesday.

Less than two hours later, Jeremiah called 911 because his daughter was about to be born and there was no time to leave home.

“My calm meter was definitely tested; it was pegged,” Jeremiah said.

Thankfully, Jeremiah put his job skills to use.

“You know, a lot of the training kicked in. I started remembering things. It wasn’t a panic …,” he said.

“Of course he’s never delivered a baby or anything close to it,” Ashley added. “I could see the terror on his face.”

Jeremiah said Moxie was crowning when paramedics finally arrived.

However, he wasn’t about to relinquish control of his living room-turned-operating room.

He started barking out orders.

“‘I need sterile gloves. I need more towels. You, go get me some ice chips,'” said Jeremiah.

“I had the baby on the living room floor,” Ashley said.

“Just the greatest joy knowing that I kind of had a part in something so special,” Jeremiah said.

Jeremiah has to return to Bahrain in 11 days, but he was at least here when he was truly needed.

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