Nursing influencer Hailey Okula’s husband Matt gives emotional update after she died in childbirth

Matt Okula took to Instagram to give an emotional update four months after his nursing influencer wife Hailey Okula died of childbirth complications. Hailey Okula, who was known as ‘Nurse Hailey,’ died on March 29, 2025 after she went into cardiac arrest after suffering an amniotic fluid embolism (AFE).

Hailey and Matt’s son Crew was born via caesarean section minutes before Hailey passed away. Matt told Fox News regarding amniotic fluid embolism (AFE) that “There’s no treatment. There’s no way of diagnosing it,” and also said: “It’s just so sad to think that other people have to go through what I’m going through right now.”

According to NHS Wales, “Amniotic fluid embolism (AFE) is a rare, life-threatening obstetric emergency, posing a risk to both mother and baby. It ranks 5 th as the leading cause of direct maternal death. Presentation is variable, although is highly suspicious in sudden, unexplained maternal collapse with hypotension, hypoxemia with coagulation disturbances. In the UK, currently the incidence is estimated between 1 in 50.”

Four months after the death of Hailey, Matt has given an update in a video on her Instagram page, the caption read: “Four months ago, everything in my world changed. On March 29, I lost my wife, Hailey. She was my best friend, my partner for more than 12 years, and the person I built my life with. On that same day, our son Crew was born, and I became a father. It was the most beautiful and most heartbreaking experience I’ve ever known.

“Grief is complicated, confusing, and different for everyone. Some days, I feel like I am just getting through each hour. Other days, I find a little peace. What I have learned is that there is no “right” way to navigate loss. I am still figuring it out, holding on to my family, to Crew, and to the incredible support I’ve received from this community.

“Hailey put everything she had into RNnewgrads. To her, it was so much more than a platform. It was her passion and her way of building genuine connections. She created a place where nurses could help each other, speak openly, and feel like they truly belonged. That community meant the world to her, and it now means everything to me.

“Hailey’s light lives on in all that she created and in the people she touched. My goal now is not to replace her or try to fill a role that only she could. Instead, I hope to continue the journey she started and to do so with honesty. Life isn’t always picture-perfect, and I want to share both the struggles and the moments of hope. That’s the truest way I know to honor her.

“As I take these next steps, I hope you’ll stay with me and keep showing the kindness and patience you always showed Hailey. Her legacy lives in every part of this amazing community, and I will do everything possible to keep her light lifting us up.

“Thank you for caring about her, for caring about Crew, and for being here for us. We miss her every day, but her spirit is still with us and always will be. ❤️”