A crowd member unexpectedly gave birth to a baby girl during Burning Man 2025, after reportedly having no idea that she was pregnant. The incident occurred in Black Rock City, Nevada, during the annual festival in the Black Rock Desert.
Emergency in the RV
According to the New York Times, 37-year-old Kayla Thompson and her husband, Kasey Thompson, were asleep in their RV on the evening of Wednesday, August 27, when Kayla began experiencing abdominal pains. Within minutes, she appeared to be in labour, prompting her husband to rush from their mobile home to seek help.
Doctors on the Scene
A paediatric doctor and an OBGYN, who was reportedly wearing “nothing but his underwear”, were nearby and helped deliver the baby safely in the bathroom of the couple’s RV.
First-Time Attendees, First-Time Parents
The Thompsons were attending their first Burning Man and stated that they had no idea they were about to become parents. “Even the nurses at the hospital were like, ‘You don’t look like you were pregnant at all,’” Kayla Thompson told the New York Times. “I didn’t have any symptoms.”
Timing and Weather Concerns
The couple expressed that they were “lucky” the labour happened when it did. Had it been “an hour later,” they would have been stranded by adverse weather, unable to access medical help, with the nearest hospital in Reno located over 120 miles away.
Community Support
The family shared their relief at the assistance offered by fellow Burning Man attendees during the emergency. Following the birth, Kasey Thompson’s sister-in-law launched a GoFundMe campaign to help cover medical expenses and baby supplies.
Fundraiser for the Newborn
Entitled Help Support Burning Man Baby Girl 2025, the crowdfunding page explains that the newborn is currently in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) but is “gaining strength every day.”
Unexpected Challenges Ahead
The fundraiser further states: “Mom and baby are both doing okay, but she will need to stay in the hospital until she is ready to come home. Since this is their first child and the pregnancy was completely unexpected, my brother and his wife don’t have anything prepared, no baby supplies, no nursery, nothing at all.”
It also highlights the financial strain created by the circumstances, citing NICU care, medical bills, and travel and lodging expenses while the family remains far from home.