How brave Queensland dad Ryan Steinbeck made a miraculous recovery from surgery for a life-threatening condition just in time to help deliver his fourth child
A brave father has made a miraculous recovery from brain surgery and is now at his wife’s side as they give birth to their fourth child.
Ryan Steinbeck, who lives with his wife Astrid Schirnack in Cooroy on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast, was given the shock diagnosis of a brain tumor before Christmas last year.
The 43-year-old had to undergo emergency surgery to remove the tumor on the right side of his brain, caused by a category 1 meningioma, which causes a build-up of abnormal cells on the outside of the brain.
But his operation had to be postponed after Mrs Schirnack became nine months pregnant with the couple’s daughter.
Mr Steinbeck – who suffered from severe headaches, nausea and loss of feeling in his arms and legs – could no longer work or care for his family.
Doctors said he needed urgent treatment as his condition could lead to a fatal stroke.
The tumor had grown so large that Mr. Steinbeck’s brain had been displaced from its place.
Ryan Steinbeck (pictured right) made a remarkable recovery from emergency brain surgery at his wife’s side (pictured left) as she gave birth to the couple’s fourth child
Mrs. Schirnack feared that her husband would not be by her side to help deliver their baby, as the surgery was scheduled for January 29 – the day Mrs. Schirnack was scheduled to give birth.
The 34-year-old, who runs a business with her husband of seven years, took to Facebook to post an emotional message a day after giving birth.
She said the past few weeks had been “stressful” and the family had been forced to turn to loved ones and the community for financial help to cope with her husband’s upcoming surgery and the birth of her child.
“We have been privately dealing with so much stress, sadness and anxiety about Ryan’s health and the timing of it all,” she wrote.
“We’ve been busy trying to get our lives in such a way that we can get through this time.”
Mr. Steinbeck subsequently underwent successful surgery and made a remarkable recovery. He was able to return home the evening before Mrs. Schirnack went into labor.
The couple welcomed their daughter Francesca Maria Steinbeck to their home at 1:10 a.m. on February 3, two weeks after her due date.
Mrs. Schirnack said her husband was going through a difficult time in the final stages of her pregnancy as he battled his health battles.
‘As a father and partner, he has gone through a very dark time. (He) (s)help that he felt like a huge burden,’ she told the Courier mail.
Astrid Schirnack (pictured) gave birth to her daughter Francesca in the early hours of February 3, while Mr Steinbeck was there to see his child born
The father of four children (middle of the photo) was scheduled to have surgery on the day his wife was due to give birth
‘He had to stop working and couldn’t show what he wanted to be as a man, when he is normally the most incredible partner, father and provider.’
Mrs. Schirnack said she was relieved when her husband walked through the door on Feb. 1 around 11 p.m.
Mr Steinbeck spent a short period in intensive care and is slightly paralyzed in his left foot as he looks ahead to months of rehabilitation following his operation.
He was by his wife’s side as she went into labor after Mr Schirnack completed her morning swim in the Noosa River on February 2.
She described the birth of baby Francesca as the ultimate rollercoaster ride, but said the feeling of looking into her daughter’s eyes after birth was priceless.
“She’s our unicorn baby. She has been waiting for her father to be there and she has been so gentle, calm and relaxed.”
Mrs. Schirnack’s mother, Jo, previously had one GoFundMe page to provide financial support for the family.
About $11,000 has been raised so far, exceeding the $10,000 goal.