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Baby born at Burning Man after mom unaware of pregnancy, now in Reno NICU

Kayla Thompson gave birth at Burning Man without knowing she was pregnant. Baby Aurora, born premature, was airlifted to a Reno NICU and is now recovering.

Published on: Aug 30, 2025, 14:18:54 IST
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A baby was born during the Burning Man festival to parents who had no idea they were expecting, as reported by NewYork Post.

The couple was in their RV early Wednesday when Kayla woke up with severe abdominal pain. Within minutes, she went into labor and delivered Aurora inside their camper in the Nevada desert. (Pexels/Representational)
The couple was in their RV early Wednesday when Kayla woke up with severe abdominal pain. Within minutes, she went into labor and delivered Aurora inside their camper in the Nevada desert. (Pexels/Representational)

Kayla Thompson, 36, said she showed no signs of pregnancy before giving birth to a premature daughter, Aurora, who is now in a Reno NICU, according to reports.

“It’s an absolute miracle,” dad Kasey Thompson, 39, of Salt Lake City, told the Los Angeles Times.

“Had I known [about the pregnancy], that’s the absolutely last place on this planet I would have been,” he assured.

The couple was in their RV early Wednesday when Kayla woke up with severe abdominal pain. Within minutes, she went into labor and delivered Aurora inside their camper in the Nevada desert.

“I just started yelling for anyone to come help me,” Kasey told the outlet through tears. “In a matter of minutes, we had an [obstetrician], a NICU nurse, a pediatrician in there — I don’t know where they all came from, they just came.”

Aurora weighed 3 pounds 9 ounces, according to a GoFundMe. She was airlifted about 120 miles to a Reno neonatal intensive care unit. Her parents were not allowed on the helicopter and had to rely on Burning Man medical staff to escort their newborn.

“The medical staff at Burning Man grabbed me and just hugged me and said he’s not going to let her out of his sight,” Kasey said. “He kept reassuring me she’s going to be OK.”

Also Read: Death of woman on first day of Burning Man devastates community, organisers speak out: ‘Life saving measures were…’

Kayla was admitted to the same hospital

Kayla was admitted to the same hospital Wednesday and released the next day.

“Even the nurses at the hospital were like, ‘You don’t look like you were pregnant at all,’” Kayla told the New York Times. “I didn’t have any symptoms.”

Aurora remains in the NICU, but her parents said they are celebrating her recovery. “She’s just going to light up my sky,” Kasey told the LA Times. “She’s going to be my everything.”

A GoFundMe was created to cover medical and travel costs. “Baby girl arrived weighing 3 lbs 9.6 oz and measuring 16.5 inches long,” the page read. “Mom and baby are both doing okay, but she will need to stay in the hospital until she is ready to come home,” the family wrote.

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