• Matthew Okula recalled the final moments he spent with his wife Hailey Okula before she died from childbirth complications on Saturday, March 31 after giving birth to her firstborn son
• He revealed that Hailey gave birth via C-Section before going into cardiac arrest after suffering an amniotic fluid embolism (EFB)
• Hailey was an ER nurse known on Instagram as “Nurse Hailey” and had opened up about her pregnancy journey and the couple experiencing infertility struggles

Matthew Okula is opening up about the final moments he spent with his wife, Hailey Okula, before she died from a childbirth complication after welcoming their first baby.

“She wanted to be a mom so incredibly bad,” Matthew said of the nursing influencer in an interview with Fox 11 Los Angeles, holding back tears while cradling their newborn son, Crew, who was born via C-Section on Saturday, March 31.

After the arrival of their baby, he noted that the two shared a “quick little laugh” over their son’s personality as Hailey shed a tear. He then recalled the tragic events that unfolded as he and his son Crew walked out of the room.

“It just came upon me so quickly, unexpectedly,” Matthew began. “A minute later, the doctor let’s me know that they’re doing CPR on her. I’m making the decision, ‘Am I going to the ICU to be with my wife or am I staying with my newborn little baby?'”

While looking down at his little one cradled in his arms, he emotionally recalled, “Not the decision I thought I would be making.”

Hailey Okula and her husband Matthew Okula. RNnewgrads/TikTok

Hailey went into cardiac arrest, Matthew revealed in the broadcast, explaining, “The doctors say it was from a very, very rare complication called amniotic fluid embolism (AFE). There’s no treatment. There’s no way of [diagnosing] it.”

According to the National Library of Medicine, an amniotic fluid embolism is a rare pregnancy complication caused by “amniotic fluid, fetal cells, hair, or other debris” entering the “maternal pulmonary circulation, causing cardiovascular collapse.”

Healthline reports that while AFE is rare, it’s also the “second most common cause of peripartum maternal death and the leading cause of peripartum heart attack” in the country. Symptoms usually occur suddenly and are rarely treated in time to save the patient; the medical site states that there’s only an 83% survival rate for AFE.

On Tuesday, April 1, her husband posted the news of his wife’s tragic death on her Instagram page, where she’d previously opened up about her infertility struggles and pregnancy journey.

Hailey Okula and her husband Matthew. GoFundMe

“It is with the heaviest of hearts that I share the devastating news of the unexpected passing of my beautiful wife, Hailey Marie Okula, due to complications from childbirth,” wrote Matthew alongside a montage of memories from her pregnancy journey.

His post continued, “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.” 

Hailey grew a massive following online for sharing her life as an ER nurse. In 2019, she launched her RN New Grads program to support newly graduated nurses. It offers “educational resources, interview help,” and more, according to the website. 

“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,” added Matthew in his post.

“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 wrote.

Hailey Okula and her husband Matthew. Hailey Okula/TikTok

Hailey shared the “indescribable” news that she was pregnant on Sept. 17, 2024, which was welcome news for the influencer after “dealing with infertility for almost two years.”

In the months that followed, Hailey regularly posted pregnancy updates alongside her husband, Matthew, who works for the Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD).

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. 

Nursing influencer Hailey Okula. RNnewgrads/Instagram

Matthew penned another tribute to Hailey in the caption of his Instagram post sharing his recent interview with Fox 11 Los Angeles.

“You made my life special in more ways than I can count. From the moment we met, we were blessed to grow together—working side by side, chasing our dreams with determination and love. And you did it. You built something incredible,” his lengthy tribute began.

“Through sheer dedication, you taught yourself everything—running a business, marketing, content creation, and so much more. You created a community that trusted you, inspiring and educating millions of new grad nurses, RNs, doctors, and beyond. Your impact was immense, and I couldn’t be more proud,” continued Matthew.

“Crew is going to grow up hearing about the incredible woman his mom was—how strong, brilliant, and fearless she was in everything she did. He’ll know that she was a true force, changing lives and leaving a legacy that will never be forgotten,” he concluded, signing it with love.