A Michigan family welcomed their newest bundle of joy in one of the most unexpected places — a McDonald’s parking lot — and the baby’s nickname couldn’t be more fitting.
On August 11, Alyce Rotunda, 34, delivered her fourth child, a healthy baby girl named Matilda, outside a McDonald’s in Schoolcraft, Michigan, just south of Kalamazoo. But because her birth certificate now officially lists the fast-food chain as her place of birth, the family has given her a nickname that’s making everyone smile: “McTilly.”
“We always planned to call her Tilly,” Alyce told Today. “But after everything that happened, ‘McTilly’ just… stuck.”
The dramatic delivery came after a frustrating back-and-forth with hospital staff. Alyce, whose pregnancy was considered high-risk due to Type 1 diabetes and a history of hemorrhaging, said she knew something wasn’t right on August 10 — her own birthday.
“I told them I was in labor, but they sent me home,” she said.
By that evening, the contractions came roaring back. “I knew this wasn’t false labor. I could feel it.”
Around 2 a.m., Alyce’s husband, Kevin Rotunda II, called her mother and rushed everyone into the car. The plan was simple: get to the hospital. But things didn’t go according to plan.
“My husband was flying down the highway — at one point, he hit 100 miles per hour,” Alyce recalled. “But it became obvious we weren’t going to make it.”
Kevin dialed 911 for instructions and pulled into the nearest safe spot — the McDonald’s parking lot.
With contractions coming fast, Alyce climbed out of their minivan, ignoring orders from both the 911 dispatcher and a responding police officer to stay inside the vehicle.
“There was no way I was getting back in that car,” she laughed. “I could either squat or stand there. That was it.”
Seconds later, it happened.
“I suddenly felt something between my legs, and I reached down — her head was already out!” Alyce said. “I screamed, ‘Kevin! Catch her right now!’”
Baby Matilda “fell right out” into her father’s hands.
“Praise God,” Alyce said, tearing up. “The second she came out, she started crying. That was the biggest sigh of relief. We knew she was okay.”
Paramedics quickly arrived and rushed Alyce and her newborn to the hospital, where doctors confirmed both mom and baby were perfectly healthy. McTilly weighed in at 7 pounds, 14 ounces, with normal blood sugar levels.
“We got so lucky,” Alyce said. “It could have gone so differently.”
As for McDonald’s? The Rotundas say they’re waiting for an official comment from the fast-food giant — but they wouldn’t be surprised if McTilly gets a lifetime supply of nuggets.
“She made her grand entrance under the Golden Arches,” Alyce joked. “How could we call her anything else?”
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