Woman Dubbed 'Superhero' After Finishing Bar Exam from Hospital Day After Giving Birth

By Amanda Thomason October 13, 2020 at 1:29pm

Even the best-laid plans often go awry, but Brianna Hill of Chicago was adamant about holding it all together when forces beyond her power conspired to create the perfect storm.

Hill graduated from Loyola University Chicago’s School of Law this year and was all ready to take the bar exam at the end of July. She was pregnant but not due until Oct. 19, so it wouldn’t have been an issue.

But then the pandemic struck, and dates got rearranged. The bar exam was rescheduled for Oct. 5 and would be taken remotely, with test-takers following a strict set of rules.

That cut it close, but Hill didn’t realize just how close when she sat down to take the test, 38 weeks into her pregnancy.

“I started the second section and 15 to 20 minutes in, I started having contractions,” the 28-year-old Hill told ABC’s “Good Morning America.”

“I had already asked for an accommodation to get up and go to the bathroom because I was 38 weeks pregnant and they said I’d get flagged for cheating,” she said. “I couldn’t leave the view of the camera.”

“I was determined. Also, I’ve never been pregnant before, so I was [thinking], ‘I don’t know what this feels like.'”

“I called my husband to tell him my water broke and he said, ‘OK, we’re going to figure out how you’re going to finish this test,’ and all my law school friends texting saying, ‘You got this,'” Hill explained.

She finished day one of the exam and went off to the hospital, giving birth to Cassius Phillip Andrew just a few short hours later.

But the exam was only half-completed, and not finishing was not an option for the brand-new mother.

It was a group effort to help Hill complete part two of the test, but thanks to the hospital finding a private room for her and placing a “do not disturb” sign on the door, Hill was able to finish the test.

“I’m really thankful,” she said. “Life throws curve balls at you, but when I have a goal, I’m going to see it through.”

Miranda Johnson, one of Hill’s professors, was impressed with her former student’s accomplishment and posted on LinkedIn to congratulate her and do a bit of bragging, calling her a “superhero.”

While the results of the exam won’t be announced until December, Hill can know she did everything humanly possible to take that test and in the meantime enjoy being a mom and getting to know her new bundle of joy, who is reportedly doing well.

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