Had Nicole and Austin LeBlanc listened to the doctors, their conjoined twins sharing a heart would never have taken a breath outside of the womb. But because these brave parents listened to the call God placed in their hearts, they got to meet their little girls face-to-face. And though the twin sisters’ time on earth was brief, the impact they had was huge!
Five months into their marriage, Nicole and Austin LeBlanc decided they were ready to start a family. The 24-year-olds from Westland, Michigan, began trying to get pregnant.
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Though it took several months, the elated couple finally succeeded. The morning sickness became so intense that Nicole began suspecting she might be carrying twins. However, at 10 weeks pregnant, an urgent trip to the doctor revealed something they never expected. Something that would put the couple’s faith to the ultimate test.
Conjoined Twins Sharing A Heart Given Grim Diagnosis
By seven weeks into the pregnancy, Nicole had dropped 10 pounds due to the severe morning sickness. And at 10 weeks, intense abdominal pain sent her racing to the hospital. And that’s where she and Austin received devastating news.
“You are indeed pregnant with twins. However, you have special twins. Your twins are conjoined. And it looks like they are sharing a heart,” the ultrasound technician told the couple.
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In addition to sharing a heart, the conjoined twins also shared a liver, a diaphragm, bowels, and one umbilical cord in one gestational sac. They also showed signs of chromosomal abnormalities.
“I had maybe three or four doctors come in,” Nicole recalled. “They all told me basically the same thing: ‘This is not a viable pregnancy.'”
The news was, without a doubt, a unique and daunting challenge. But Nicole and Austin’s unwavering trust in God’s plan provided them with the strength to embrace the journey ahead.
Because the odds of miscarriage greatly outweighed the chances of survival for the conjoined twins sharing a heart, doctors recommended terminating the pregnancy. But this completely went against the couple’s beliefs.
“Every human life is sacred, and the womb should be a place of protection,” Nicole explained.
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And so the couple held firm to their faint and told the doctors, “We are completely against abortion. This is not what we're going to do.”
Nicole LeBlanc bravely decided to share her decision and journey on social media. And though she received some backlash, she also received considerable support from the pro-life community.
A Lasting Impact
The months of pregnancy were marked by a profound faith, unity, and ceaseless prayer. And that faith gave Nicole and Austin the strength to weather the moments of uncertainty and fear.
The day of their daughters’ birth was nothing short of miraculous. Nicole managed to make it to 32 weeks before delivering her conjoined twins via c-section.
Maria Therese and Rachel Clare entered the world connected in a way that seemed unfathomable. Their hearts, which were intended to beat individually, were bound together, sharing the rhythm of life itself. The love and faith of their parents and their community surrounded them as they entered this world.
Doctors feared the twins would be stillborn. But the baby girls arrived alive and alert.
“One of my daughters, she screamed, she opened her eyes,” Nicole recalled.
Their parents held their tiny miracles close, whispering words of love, devotion, and faith into their little ears. They even had enough time to have the conjoined twins sharing a heart baptized.
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“It was really like Heaven came down in that operating room,” Nicole said. “They passed away while I was still being closed up in the OR [operating room]. They passed away in my husband’s arms, together, on the opposite side of the room.”
Parents Say Goodbye To Their Conjoined Twins
Though their time together as a family was short, it was a blessing. Maria Therese and Rachel Clare lived for about an hour before returning to Heaven. And the LeBlancs treasured every second spent cuddling and kissing their baby girls.
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“God designed them so beautifully in my womb and it was an absolute honor and privilege to carry them for as long as I could,” Nicole wrote on Instagram. “Their lives have touched so many and the support my family has received has been nothing short of incredible.”
The story of Maria Therese and Rachel Clare, and their incredible parents, Nicole and Austin, serves as a testament to the enduring power of love and faith. It reminds us that even in the face of life’s most daunting challenges, love and faith can sustain us and provide strength beyond measure. Their journey teaches us to cherish every moment with our loved ones, for we never know how long we have with them.
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The story of the conjoined twins sharing a heart is a testament to the belief that God’s plan, though often beyond our understanding, is always filled with purpose, love, and grace.
WATCH: Remembering The Life Of Conjoined Twins Sharing A Heart
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h/t: The Epoch Times
Featured Image Credit: Instagram/nicolita_d