Instagram
Sharing the footage, the husband said he wanted followers "to see a little more into who Hailey was outside of" her social media presence.
Matthew Okula is looking back at the beautiful memories he shared with his wife before her death.
Husband of nursing influencer Hailey Okula shared "some raw, unedited videos" of the two on their wedding day to his wife's Instagram story, days after announcing her death from a childbirth complication.
Their son, Crew, survived.
Instagram
In one video, the two are seen smiling ear-to-ear while slow dancing to Amanda Jordan's "I Choose You." He captioned it "Our first dance. I want everyone to see a little more into who Hailey was outside of Rnnewgrads," her Instagram handle and business.
Hailey created RN New Grads, which helps nurses -- who have recently graduated -- kickstart their careers, before the program turned "into a comprehensive platform for all things nursing," according to her website. "We now offer educational resources, interview help, and even sell cute nursing apparel and accessories to showcase your pride as a nurse," the website reads.
In addition to sharing content related to the program, Hailey -- who has over 425,000 followers on Instagram and over 200,000 on TikTok under the username "@rnnewgrads" -- documented her years-long struggles with fertility, IVF process, and her pregnancy journey after she announced she was expecting in September 2024.
Instagram
Over another video he wrote, "I choose you♥️."
Lastly, he shared a fun clip of his wife happily jumping up and down with him and their wedding guests to Shania Twain's “Man! I Feel Like A Woman!” -- writing, "The Hailey I fell in love with♥️ This video will definitely be reposted again later."
On Tuesday, the Los Angeles Fire Department firefighter announced on Instagram that his wife died moments after they welcomed their first child, a baby boy they named Crew. Hailey died from "complications" during childbirth following a years-long infertility journey.
"It is with the heaviest of heart that I share the devastating news of the unexpected passing of my beautiful wife, Hailey Marie Okula, due to complications from childbirth," Matthew began. "Words cannot convey the depth of the loss I feel. Hailey was more than I could have ever dreamed of in a wife and partner. She was gorgeous, smart, hardworking, passionate, trustworthy, and above all else, unbelievably loyal. For nearly 13 years, she stood by my side in the hardest of times, loving me endlessly, even when I felt undeserving of that love. She was my everything."
Instagram
Nursing Influencer Hailey Okula Dies From Childbirth 'Complications' After Infertility Struggles
View Story"Hailey's strength was unparalleled. Words can't describe how badly we wanted to be parents. After years of infertility struggles and a long, challenging IVF process, we were overjoyed to be expecting Crew," he continued.
"Hailey faced every hurdle with so much courage and love -- even though her body went through so much, she never wavered. I will never forget the moment I broke down, apologizing for the toll the process would take on her. She held my face, looked into my eyes, and said, 'We are a team, and we’ll get through this together.' That was Hailey. A fighter. A teammate. A woman who would do anything for the people she loved."
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"Though her time with us was tragically cut short, Hailey’s love for Crew was limitless, long before he entered this world. She would have been the most amazing mom. Her spirit, courage, and love will live on in our son, and through everyone whose lives she touched," Matthew added.
"Hailey poured her soul into her career as a nurse and her passion for teaching others through her business, RN New Grads. She was so proud of it and was dedicated to creating something meaningful, not just for herself, but for the nursing community she loved so much. She dreamed of helping new nurses thrive while also being present for our sweet Crew, building a life and legacy she was so proud of."
Matthew's post on Tuesday featured an emotional video montage of photos and clips from their years together, including their journey to get pregnant, footage from the hospital, and a photo of baby Crew.
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Matthew also opened up about the tragedy while speaking with FOX 11.
According to the outlet, just "two minutes" after Crew was born, she said, "I don't feel good," and went into cardiac arrest.
Matthew -- who was visibly emotional -- recalled the horror he experienced in the hospital in the minutes following Crew's birth. He said the doctors told him his wife suffered a "very, very rare complication" called amniotic fluid embolism. According to the Cleveland Clinic, "amniotic fluid embolism (AFE) is "a rare and life-threatening complication that occurs when a pregnant woman gets amniotic fluid into their bloodstream just before, during or immediately after childbirth."
"She gave her life in the most noble way. She was able to see him for a split second, and I'm always going to remember that," Matthew said, choked up.
