Country star Tyler Childers and wife Senora May expecting second child

Country music star Tyler Childers has shared the joyful news that he and his wife, Senora May, are expecting their second child this summer.

However, the announcement arrived with a poignant plea regarding rural healthcare. The 34-year-old singer took to Instagram on Wednesday to express his heartbreak over the looming closure of the birthing centre at Fort Logan Hospital in Stanford, Kentucky—the very place the couple welcomed their first son in 2022.

"Saddened to hear about the impending closure of the birthing center at Ephraim McDowell," Childers wrote.

He emphasised that the facility is a "top notch" asset to the state, adding: "This birthing center is a vital part of maternal care in the Stanford area. It would greatly affect the Amish community surrounding the birthing center as well."

The closure, set for 16 February, has sparked fierce local opposition. Expectant mothers recently protested the move, supported by the centre’s founder, Dr Jay Miller.

He warned that moving services 20 minutes away to Danville could be fatal during complications, stating: "20 minutes to Danville for our patients and 20 minutes to us after they call us is too long for emergencies."

Ephraim McDowell Health maintains the consolidation will provide better access to specialists and neonatal care.

Nevertheless, for families like the Childers, who "were intending on going here for the birth of our second baby," the loss of the local unit represents a significant blow to the community’s safety and spirit.