Mom of 5 Gives Birth to Daughter While in a Coma After Refusing Cancer Treatment to Save Her Child

A Michigan mother of 5 gave birth to her sixth child while in a coma

A Michigan mother of five gave birth to her sixth child, a daughter, on Wednesday while in a coma that she has been in since July.

Carrie DeKlyen, 37, was diagnosed with glioblastoma in April — an aggressive, rapidly growing malignant tumor that can affect the brain and spinal cord — but opted to avoid experimental treatment to save her baby, whom her family named Life Lynn DeKlyen.

Life was delivered at 24 weeks and 5 days, weighing 1 lb. and 4 oz., according to Carrie’s Facebook page, Cure 4 Carrie, which provides updates on her health.

Now that the little girl has arrived, DeKlyen has been taken off life support with her family telling supporters she is “very comfortable she is in God’s hands until he calls her home”.

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Carrie’s husband, Nick, told PEOPLE in early August that his wife refused chemotherapy treatments in order to preserve the life of their unborn child.

“The doctor said if you don’t terminate this baby, Carrie, you will die,” Nick said. “But it was Carrie’s decision and I said, ‘What do you want to do?’ She said, ‘We’re keeping it.'”

Courtesy DeKlyen Family

A Facebook post last Saturday by Carrie’s sister-in-law, Sonya Nelson, revealed Carrie had become “completely unresponsive” and was no longer responding to pain.

“I just spoke with Nick and he wanted me to update,” she wrote. “We tried to share Carrie’s story without being negative, but the bottom line is we need to share the reality of the situation. Carrie is not doing well. For the past few days she has been completely unresponsive, she is not even responding to pain.”

Courtesy DeKlyen Family

Carrie and Nick share five other children, Elijah, 18, Isaiah, 16, Nevaeh, 11, Leila, 4, and Jez, 1. Nick told PEOPLE of the amazing mother Carrie was.

“She’s the kind of mom that wants to be with her kids all the time, building forts in the backyard, taking the kids on walks to the park and making them special lunches.”

“I’m going to really miss those moments,” he added.

Courtesy DeKlyen Family

Carrie underwent four major brain surgeries and suffered a stroke in July. She hasn’t regained consciousness since.

“I don’t know if she hears me, but I tell her I love her every day,” Nick said. “I say, ‘I love you, Carrie, and I’m waiting for you to wake up and take you home.’ I tell her that I’m staying by her side, and I’ll never leave her. I want more than anything to bring her home.”

Nick said he’ll raise their children on his own if his wife dies, and is confident he’ll “see her again.”

“Not in this life, but after my time is up I’ll be with her again in Heaven,” he said. “She made the decision to give Life a chance at life.”

“And I couldn’t be more proud.”