Man Ecstatic Over Wife’s Delivery Of Quadruplets Becomes A Widower Hours Later

Jan 08, 2023

Carlos Morales knows all too well that life is as much a measure of miracles as it is losses. The weight of his pain was countered by four tiny reasons to live on after a devastating loss. Carlos and Erica Morales met back in 2006. From the very start, theirs would be an epic love story of defying odds. She spoke English. He spoke Spanish. Despite not speaking the same language, the two fell head over heels in love. They each worked hard to become fluent in their partner’s native language.

By 2007, the couple married in Vegas. Carlos and Erica desperately wanted to start a family. They weren’t having much luck, though. They suffered the heartache of numerous miscarriages over the course of their 10-year marriage. The couple finally decided to try IVF. The treatment was successful, and Erica soon learned she was having quadruplets!

According to PEOPLE, Erica went into labor on Jan. 15, 2015. Carlos kissed his wife and told her he loved her just a few minutes before they welcomed their newborns. One boy, Carlos Jr., and three girls named Paisley, Erica, and Tracey were born, and all were healthy. The couple was elated to finally have the family they’d always dreamed of creating together. Despite the trauma of labor, it was a beautiful few hours for Erica.

“We were so excited to start our family,” Carlos said. “And then it all came crashing down.”

Erica had critical postpartum complications just a few hours after delivery. Massive blood loss caused Erica to go into hypovolemic shock, a condition that leaves the heart unable to get adequate blood supply to sustain life, according to PEOPLE. Erica’s heart stopped. 

Erica passed away in the early morning of Jan. 16, 2015, without ever having the chance to hold her four new babies.

“I went from having the best day of my life to the next morning experiencing the worst day of my life,” Carlos told PEOPLE. “My four babies came into the world and then my wife died.”

It didn’t take long for the reality of the situation to set in – Carlos was now a single father to four infants. His new focus was the strength for both himself and the four tiny lives depending upon him.

He began taking free baby-care classes at the hospital to better learn how to care for the quadruplets, “learning everything from how to give them a bath, CPR, feeding, and how to manage their sleep schedule.”

The dad added, “Everything I do now is for my children.”

The financial, emotional, mental, and physical job of taking care of quadruplets is difficult enough for partners, but Carlos was now alone to shoulder all these responsibilities. This family’s equally beautiful and tragic story became an online viral hit. Donations to a GoFundMe page set up by one of Erica’s childhood friends started pouring in, almost reaching its $500,000 goal.

Carlos also has the memory of Erica to carry him through, though he still grieves losing her. “When I’m alone at home I still tell myself that I hope I’m dreaming,” he said. “Erica was the most special person in the world and she should be here to love her babies.”

Erica’s dream was for her kids to go to college, get good jobs, and learn to speak both English and Spanish. Carlos has vowed to try his “hardest to make sure that happens.”

What can you say about this father stepping up to care for his children during such a difficult time? Let us know your thoughts, and be sure to pass this along to your loved ones.