Rachael didn’t need to think about it.
She was 39 years old when she learned she was expecting identical twins. The news came with a warning: both babies had an extra chromosome and could suffer from serious heart defects. From that moment on, the medical staff offered her the option of terminating the pregnancy six times. Some even offered their condolences before her daughters were born.
Alongside her husband Cody, a pilot student, she gave the same answer time and time again: her girls’ lives were immensely valuable, regardless of what a diagnosis said.
Charlotte and Annette were born naturally in 2018, a rare case: identical twins with Down syndrome. At six months old, Charlotte successfully underwent open-heart surgery. Annette, by contrast, defied the predictions: she was born with a completely healthy heart.
Today, the two fill the house with laughter and play alongside their siblings.