Hailey Okula’s husband continues to honor her memory days after she tragically passed away following the birth of their first son, Crew.
As we reported this week, the influencer known as “Nurse Hailey” died on Saturday from a “very rare” pregnancy complication called amniotic fluid embolism (AFE). She gave birth to the baby she wanted for years, saw him for a “split second,” and then went into cardiac arrest. While doctors tried everything they could, she didn’t make it. She was only 33 years old.
As you can imagine, her husband, Matthew Okula, has been rocked by losing the love of his life so suddenly. He opened up about his grief and love for Hailey in a new emotional interview. Speaking to Us Weekly on Friday, the firefighter said he has been “empty” without Hailey. Oof. However, he is also feeling an immense amount of gratitude for the support at the same time:
“I feel like I’m almost like… two different bodies. The part of me that’s grieving unbelievably is always there and it hasn’t lightened. It’s more than I can even express — no words could even say how empty my life feels right now. And it’s hard because it’s not making that part better, but another part of me is overwhelmed with how much support is flooding in.”
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Not only has he received a ton of messages from fellow firemen and their spouses across the country, but from the nursing community who adored Hailey so much. He continued:
“Hailey [had] such a trusted following of so many people — it’s unbelievable. I like to think that I’m a pretty special person, but I know that this wouldn’t have been national news if not for her. That’s just how special and impactful she was. The nursing community is stepping up so much. It’s Hailey’s footprint that’s making all of this happen. I had a rough morning today and I just thought ‘she’s still making things happen even when she’s not physically here. She’s getting people to support me and Crew so I can figure things out.’”
Matthew noted that after his wife “helped millions of people as an educator,” they are coming to his aid in different ways like “buying her products,” “sending messages,” “praying,” and “donating.” He added:
“Hailey would love to see her business thriving like this. She worked so hard. Seeing it flourish — and knowing people are learning about who she was — brings me joy.”
Without a doubt, Matthew knows that all the love and support coming his way right now is because of Hailey. He said:
“I’m a spiritual guy, but I’ve never really believed in seeing signs or things like that. But I prayed hard for signs that Hailey was watching over me, and every day something happens. Even this interview alone. I’m sitting in her office now, looking around at everything she built. She was a go-getter, and that drive is living on. She’s continuing to make sure me and Crew are going to be okay in these unprecedented times.”
And that was just who Hailey was. As Matthew put it, the social media personality “loved helping others” at the end of the day:
“She loved nursing. She loved being an entrepreneur. She loved helping others — the nursing community, my family, everyone. She loved giving back. She wanted to make a difference for new nurses. A lot of times new grads get bullied by older nurses, and Hailey was adamant about fostering a healthy environment. She stood up for new grads, even if it meant calling people out on her platform of a million followers. That’s how loyal she was.”
Hailey sounds like an amazing woman…
Matthew shared that when she started the popular account RNNewGrads, she wanted to be there for new nurses in any way that she could:
“She started this business to help nurses find jobs. When she was looking, she’d click links and get nowhere. It was exhausting and frustrating. So she started an Instagram page, spent her whole day filtering links, and posted verified job listings for new grads. It removed a burden from them. Her giving spirit created a business that grew and grew. We dreamed of that business letting us spend more time with Crew and build our life together.”
Sadly, she won’t get that precious time with Crew. So heartbreaking.
Ultimately, Hailey wasn’t just a lifesaver to newly graduated nurses. She was a “hero” to her husband, too. He expressed:
“She’s my hero in every way. As a wife, a partner, a friend. We had such a beautiful relationship. We’d been through so much, but we always got through it. And now, after everything, she’s even more magnified in my heart.”
There’s no doubt how much Matthew loved Hailey. Now, he plans to honor her legacy by continuing to make “a difference” and raising “awareness” about AFE “to help save lives.” He said:
“Hailey is reminding me to keep going, to raise Crew the way we talked about. We were dealt a hand that seems so unfair, but I know what she’d want. I’m going to be an amazing dad for Crew.”
Yes, he will. We continue to send our love to Matthew and Crew during this difficult time.
[Image via Hailey Okula/Instagram]
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