Hailey Okula’s Instagram followers watched for months as she balanced her career with the joy of preparing for her first child with her husband, Matthew. Sadly, the same community is now rallying behind her family after her sudden death due to complications from childbirth.
Hailey, known as Nurse Hailey on Instagram, passed away shortly after welcoming her son, Crew. Her husband shared the heartbreaking news on social media Tuesday, alongside a video collage capturing their relationship and pregnancy journey, including moments from her labor.
“It is with the heaviest of hearts that I share the devastating news of my beautiful wife, Hailey Marie Okula’s unexpected passing,” Matthew wrote. “Words cannot express the depth of my loss. Hailey was more than I could ever have dreamed of in a wife and partner. She was beautiful, smart, hardworking, passionate, trustworthy, and above all, unbelievably loyal. For nearly 13 years, she stood by my side, loving me endlessly, even when I didn’t deserve it. She was my everything.”
Hailey, an experienced ER nurse, was also a dedicated advocate for new nurses. In 2019, she founded RN New Grads, a platform that provided advice for new nursing graduates navigating their careers. Her Instagram account, which boasted over 400K followers, also chronicled her struggles with infertility and IVF as she and Matthew worked to become parents.
In a September 2024 post announcing her pregnancy, Hailey shared the emotional journey. “Being able to say that we are pregnant is indescribable,” she wrote. “After dealing with infertility issues, a lot of medications, and financial strain, it was all worth it.”
In his tribute post, Matthew reflected on their difficult path to parenthood, emphasizing Hailey’s strength and resilience. “Words can’t describe how badly we wanted to be parents,” he wrote. “After years of infertility struggles and a long IVF process, we were overjoyed to be expecting Crew. Hailey faced every hurdle with so much courage and love—she never wavered. I will never forget the moment I broke down, apologizing for the toll it would take on her. She held my face and said, ‘We are a team, and we’ll get through this together.’ That was Hailey. A fighter. A teammate.”
Matthew, who works as an engineer with the Los Angeles Fire Department, received an outpouring of support from his colleagues. The department shared the news of Hailey’s passing, offering condolences and directing people to a fundraiser for the grieving family.
Hailey’s followers on social media expressed their sorrow and shared fond memories of her. Many described how she had made a personal impact on their lives, with one follower recalling Hailey’s care during a difficult hospitalization. Another described their emotional conversations throughout their pregnancies, noting how Hailey was a “light in the nursing community.”
As the community mourns Hailey’s loss, they continue to rally around her family, offering their love and support in these incredibly difficult times.
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