‘I was terrified’: Woman nearly dies after miscarriage following a 40-minute EMS delay

Warning: The following story contains graphic descriptions of miscarriage.

LINCOLN, Neb. (KOLN/Gray News) — A couple in Nebraska experienced a terrifying, life-threatening situation involving a stillborn baby, made worse when EMS arrived more than 30 minutes late to the scene.

Ronicka Schottel and Tyler Ford moved to Hickman from Lincoln last fall.

After trying to conceive for a year, they finally became pregnant. They were 12 weeks in by Aug. 12 when they received the tragic news that their baby had no heartbeat.

Schottel was scheduled for a dilation and curettage the morning of Aug. 13. However, she began hemorrhaging at home the night before.

“I just knew that I didn’t feel normal,” Schottel said. “Like I was scream-crying. I was telling my husband I didn’t want to die. I was terrified. Up until that point, my scariest image was seeing the fetus in the toilet. And I didn’t want to expel the baby at home. And now my scariest thought was that I wasn’t going to be alive for my kids.”

Schottel was bleeding out, dizzy and faint. She was even losing consciousness and falling.

Ford said he tried to hold her up, trying to keep her awake as she started to sway.

“She said, ‘I can’t see, everything’s going white.’ And then she stopped talking to me,” Ford said.

Ford was terrified as he tried to stabilize Schottel while they waited for help. He carried her out of the bathroom and placed her in the recovery position while he listened to his mother-in-law repeatedly call 911.

Schottel’s mother, Roxanne Schottel, called 911 at 10:25 p.m., but two pages to Hickman Fire and Rescue went unanswered.

Firth Fire and Rescue responded on the second page, and first responders from Panama didn’t arrive until half an hour after the first call without an ambulance.

It was not until 11:39 p.m. that Ronicka Schottel arrived at the hospital, where she underwent emergency surgery and blood transfusions.

On Tuesday, Hickman Fire Chief John Brady said the all-volunteer force is overwhelmed with calls, but they are working on recruiting and retention.

“I anticipate this situation getting worse because we have not seen it get better all over the country, and we are no different than anybody else,” Brady said.

Rural EMS shortages are nothing new.

Ronicka Schottel spoke of a conversation she had with Brady after the incident, where he allegedly told her if she wanted 24/7 EMS coverage, she’d need to move.

Brady denied making that statement but said he was trying to explain to people the reality of living where EMS coverage is voluntary.

Brady said they’ve been working on recruitment and praised the work his department does.

They’ve been working with Lincoln Fire and Rescue to try and get EMS technicians on a rotation in Hickman, getting them experience and potentially a small stipend to help the volunteer department have more coverage.

Ronicka Schottel said they’re grateful to the first responders who did show up, and their goal with sharing the story is to help Hickman residents understand the situation, hopefully help gain recruits and make changes to response protocol to ensure something like this doesn’t happen again.

And Ford is considering getting his EMT certificate so that he can volunteer with Hickman Fire and Rescue as well.