Heartbreak for a Woodlawn family after a young mother dies during childbirth. Now a father has to push through his grief, to raise his girls, without their mother.
TC Allen said he thought Saturday was going to be the best day of his life after he was awakened by his longtime love Melonie Joyner. She told him, it "was time."
The couple was expecting the birth of their fourth daughter.
Tylah Rose was born Saturday, weighing 9lbs and 11oz but just minutes after she came into this world, tragedy struck.
Moments after taking a picture with the baby.
Melonie went into cardiac arrest.
The 37-year-old woman was not able to be resuscitated.
TC says, "In one split second, my life was taken away from me in one second"
Melonie, was a mother of four but proudly called TC’s girls from a previous relationship her Bonus daughters. Now TC and all six girls are left to pick up the pieces with the support of family.
His sister-in-law Jewel, recalls telling the children, their mother passed away.
"I was the one that had to tell them their mother was gone. I’m battling stage 3 breast cancer, I thought cancer was hard, that was the hardest day of my life, having to tell those girls their mother is not coming home."
Melonie was a New York native, who stayed in Baltimore after attending Morgan State University.
She worked at the Social Security Administration, her coworkers and friends are also stunned by her death.
They say one thing that was undeniable, was her love for her children.
Her family hopes sharing her story will bring awareness to maternal health.
According to the CDC, there is a huge racial disparity when it comes to maternal deaths, black women are three times more likely to die from a pregnancy-related cause than white women.
TC says he hopes Melonie's death can help save other women,
"Even if we can save one life, that’s all we need."
A GoFundMe to benefit Melonie's daughters has been established, if you'd like to donate, Click Here.
An Amazon Wishlisthas also been set up to help with the newborn's immediate needs, Click Here for more.