'We had faith': Greensboro woman gives birth to first child at 51

Susie Troxler and her husband Tony had always wanted a child, but were never able to have one. At 50, Troxler still wanted to try for a child, but knew there was a small chance of that happening.

Posted 1:29 p.m. Nov 24, 2021 — Updated 1:29 p.m. Nov 24, 2021

GREENSBORO, N.C. — Susie Troxler and her husband Tony had always wanted a child, but were never able to have one. At 50, Troxler still wanted to try for a child, but knew there was a small chance of that happening.

Everything changed after Troxler met with Dr. Carolyn Harraway-Smith, Cone Health's chief medical officer for women's health, during a regular check-up.

Greensboro woman gives birth at 51 (Photo from Cone Health)

“Near the end of my appointment, Dr. Harraway-Smith asked, ‘Is there anything else,’” Troxler said in a press release. “If she hadn’t asked that question, then this baby probably wouldn’t be here.”

Troxler told her doctor about her desire to be a mother and Harraway-Smith presented her with options to try in-vitro fertilization.

The couple tried conceiving through IVF for two years with no luck. Then, using the last embryo left, the couple conceived.

Troxler gave birth to Lily Antonia Troxler on Wednesday, Sept. 29.

“It was so surreal,” she said. “Everything had come together for that moment to happen. It’s hard to wrap our heads around – we’re no longer just husband and wife, we’re ‘mommy’ and ‘daddy.’”

The couple hopes their story inspires others to never stop trying and to communicate with their healthcare provider about what they want.

“I was disappointed to hear her say that no one had ever queried them or given them their options for fertility,” Harraway-Smith said in a release. “I would advise anyone who wants to conceive to speak to your provider and let them know your concerns and future goals for planning a family.”

Tony Troxler said that the couple never gave up hope.

"We had that faith. We dreamed of her. We knew no matter how it was going to happen, it was going to happen," Tony Troxler said.

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