This is the heartwarming moment a mum who gave birth while in a coma suffering with Covid finally returns home to meet her family and new baby for Christmas.
Laura Ward, 33, spent seven weeks in a coma before waking up to discover she had already given birth to her healthy baby girl, Hope.
But the mum of two from Tyldesley, Wigan, still had to learn to walk, talk, feed and clean herself all over again as a result of the toll the virus took on her body, Manchester Evening News reports.
After finally being discharged from hospital nearly five months since she was admitted, Laura, was greeted by her husband, John Leece, their children, parents and friends as she returned home in time for Christmas.
The adorable clip shows brave Laura stepping out of a car with a walker as her family, surrounded by balloons and hand-made posters with well-wishing messages, cheer her on and clap.
Laura said: "I'm so pleased to be home."
"The physiotherapist brought me home and John was there waiting for me with the kids. William was so excited he was shouting 'mummy, mummy' and trying to get in the car."
The teaching assistant first started feeling unwell as she finished school for the summer holidays this year with "a bit of a cough".
But when Lateral Flow Tests came back negative and her symptoms only worsened, Laura took a PCR test which returned a positive result.
As she struggled to breathe, Laura was admitted at the Royal Bolton Hospital and was warned by maternity staff that they may have to deliver her baby early as she continued to decline over the next two weeks.
Now the last thing she remembers is waking up on September 30 to learn that she had given birth to Hope via emergency C-section at 31 weeks while in an induced coma.
She said: "I opened my eyes to see Hope on the bed with me, but I couldn't move any part of my body.
"All I could do was shake and nod my head."
At its worst, the terrifying ordeal saw doctors warn Laura's family that she could die if she didn't get on an ECMO Machine, adding that it was the "last resort" for her.
Not wanting to name their baby girl without her mum's involvement, partner, John, 37, referred to Hope only as "baby girl" in the weeks until Laura woke up.
But having had a tracheotomy, feeding tubes fitted and spending 35 days on an ECMO Machine - the highest form of life support - Laura had a gruelling recovery learning how to do the most basic things before she was fit and healthy enough to go home.
She said: "I was just lying in bed at first and not able to move at all.
"I tried really hard to lift my arms but I just couldn't.
"It was frustrating because I couldn't speak, but because I couldn't move my arms or hands, I wasn't able to write anything down that I wanted to say either.
"I had to learn to feed myself, brush my teeth, all the things you learn as a toddler, it's like learning everything all over again."
Finally returning to see her family and friends again on Monday, Laura was re-united with her parents Lynn and Bill, her three year old son, William, baby Hope and her two step-children.
Now she says she'd recommend the jab to any pregnant women.
"I'd say just get it," she said. "I wouldn't wish what's happened to me on anyone and it's better to be safe than sorry."
