Giving birth is already a memorable experience, but one family in Tennessee has a story that sounds like something straight out of a Batman film.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!A doctor dressed as the Joker delivered a baby girl on Halloween after her parents insisted he keep his costume on rather than change into his usual medical clothing.
Dr. Paul Locus, an obstetrician at Henry County Medical Center in Paris, Tennessee, had dressed up as Heath Ledger’s version of the infamous Batman villain from The Dark Knight to celebrate Halloween in 2017.
However, what started as a bit of festive fun quickly turned into an unforgettable moment for Brittany and Justin Selph, who were preparing to welcome their third child.
Brittany had originally been due to give birth on November 5, but her daughter had other plans.
Her waters broke on October 31, prompting the couple to head to hospital, where they arrived around midday.
When Dr. Locus entered their room wearing the Joker’s distinctive purple outfit and full face makeup, the couple couldn’t believe what they were seeing.
Justin immediately recognised the opportunity to capture something unusual and began filming the encounter.
“I got on Facebook Live right away and thought this is too good not to video,” he told TODAY.
After checking on Brittany during the afternoon, Dr. Locus initially planned to return home to hand out Halloween sweets and change into his medical clothing before the delivery.
But the couple had a different idea.
Rather than asking him to remove the costume, they encouraged him to stay dressed as the Joker for the birth of their daughter.
And much to their delight, the doctor agreed.
“We kind of thought if he would stay in the delivery room, it would be kind of cool,” Justin explained. “He is such a genuine guy and a good sport. He would even talk every once in a while in that Joker voice.”
Despite the character’s terrifying reputation, Brittany found the unusual sight surprisingly comforting during labour.
Instead of being distracted by the pain and pressure of childbirth, she found herself laughing at the sight of her doctor dressed as one of cinema’s most recognisable villains.
“I think seeing him dressed up in the delivery room, it did kind of take away from everything I was doing and the pain,” she told TODAY. “It was a good laugh, it made me feel calm.”
The delivery went ahead with Dr. Locus still wearing his Halloween costume, and the couple welcomed their baby daughter, Oaklyn Selph, into the world.
It meant that one of the first faces the newborn encountered belonged to a doctor dressed as the Joker.
The family’s older children also had very different reactions to the unusual occasion.
Their ten-year-old son, Brenden, was delighted by the experience and happily posed for photographs alongside the costumed doctor who had delivered his little sister.
However, four-year-old McKinley wasn’t quite as enthusiastic.
With a fear of clowns, she was understandably less impressed by the Joker’s appearance.
And Dr. Locus wasn’t finished entertaining the family once the delivery was complete.
After Oaklyn’s arrival, he presented the parents with a congratulations card, signing it with a fittingly unusual name: “Dr. Joker.”
It was a final touch that made the already memorable birth even more entertaining for the family.
As it turns out, dressing up for Halloween wasn’t particularly unusual for the doctor.
Rhonda Crossett, a director at Henry County Medical Center, revealed that Dr. Locus had been wearing costumes since the early days of his medical career.
According to Crossett, the doctor regularly made an effort to create positive experiences for the families he treated. “He loves going the extra mile to give them a unique and enjoyable delivery experience,” Crossett said.
And although the Joker is usually associated with causing chaos, on this particular Halloween, he helped make one family’s happiest moment even more memorable.
Featured image credit: Instagram/Justin Selph
