A woman who had a baby while fighting for life has told of her amazing recovery.
Wei Liu was eight months pregnant when she suffered serious injuries in a car crash.
She was left with a catalogue of devastating injuries, including a severed artery above her heart, fractured ribs which had pierced her liver and a shattered pelvis.
The 30-year-old didn’t know she had given birth until she woke up three days after the accident - and reached for her bump to find her baby had been born.
Wei, 30, boyfriend Geng Yu, 24, and a friend had been travelling in a taxi in Manchester when it was struck by a car - leaving the mum-to-be fighting for life at the side of the road.
She was rushed to hospital in a critical condition where doctors performed an emergency caesarean in the A&E room to deliver baby Lucas a month early.
Her partner was warned by doctors he may have to make the terrible choice of whose life to save.
After 40 days in hospital Wei, a shop assistant for Hermes in Selfridges in Manchester, was allowed home.
She said: “The last thing I remember is the taxi turning as I was on the phone to a friend. The next thing, I woke up with people all around me.
"I had something in my mouth so I couldn’t speak but I realised my belly had gone smaller and my baby was gone.
“Because I couldn’t talk I kept just touching my belly and heard people saying ‘your baby is fine’.
“I found out later the doctors had told my boyfriend to be prepared because they hadn’t seen that many people survive things like this before.
“I think at one point he was asked if he would rather save me or the baby.
"He was in the next bed shouting and saw my friend crying because my heart had stopped beating for a few seconds and they thought I was dead.
"A few days later I woke up again and Geng was there in a wheelchair. That was when I got to hold Lucas for the first time.
“I still can’t work out how I survived. I just feel so lucky to be alive and that Lucas is okay.”
Kiss: Wei Lu recovering from her ordeal with baby Lucas
Manchester Evening News
Wei also suffered a fractured cheekbone, broken foot and a huge cut across her head, which needed 48 stitches.
She is now back at her home in Ancoats, Manchester, and is recovering well, but remains in a wheelchair and has memory problems.
Geng was also injured in the crash, needing surgery for a punctured lung, broken ribs and injuries to his feet.
He said: “I didn’t know what to do when they said I might have to choose between Wei and the baby, I was in so much pain.
"I am devastated I missed him being born but so happy he and Wei are alive.”
Dr Tuheen Huda at Manchester Royal Infirmary also took the photographs capturing the emotional moment Wei woke up and was able to cuddle baby Lucas for the first time.
He later sent the pictures to Wei with the message: “This was when you first held your son. Congratulations. You are very strong.”
Dr Huda said: “Their survival is entirely testament to the fact that we have had a really good major trauma system set up.
"In Wei’s case we checked her baby and found its heart rate was dropping, and found a major blood vessel coming from her heart had been cut in two.
"Her and her baby’s lives really were in serious danger. But after surgery, within a few days she was ready to be awake.
"Her mum had come over from China and I took her off the ventilator and introduced them, then about an hour later we brought her baby in so she could see him for the first time.
"It was incredibly emotional.”
The driver of the car a 19-year-old man, was the only one involved not to receive any injuries.
He was arrested by police at the scene of the crash on suspicion of causing serious injury by dangerous driving and other driving offences.
He remains on police bail until July 8.
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