ROANOKE, Va. – Fighters come in all shapes and sizes. Two of the tiniest we know are in the NICU in Roanoke.
Brittany Bennett and her boyfriend Elijah welcomed twins in April, but they came very early; At the time of their delivery, Brittany was only 25 weeks into her pregnancy.
“Madilyn was 1 pound 10 ounces, and Evelyn was 1 pound 13 ounces,” said Bennett. “We’re worried about brain bleeds, them not learning how to breathe on time, and many other things.”
Even though the baby girls are just getting started on this journey of life, their battles have already begun.
“Evelyn had a perforated bowel all of the sudden, so she’s already had two surgeries to get that fixed and she has a temporary colostomy bag,” Brittany said.
This isn’t the parents’ first experience in the NICU.
Last August, Bennett gave birth to Lilith at only 23 weeks, making her a preemie like her sisters. However, Lilith’s journey looked different and ended far too soon.
“She was extremely premature and her lungs just couldn’t keep up with oxygen, which led to a hemorrhage in the brain,” Brittany said.
Sadly, Lilith died within two days, but from this heartbreak, came hope.
On Lilith’s due date of Dec. 1 just a year later, the couple found out Brittany was pregnant again – this time with twins.
“I thought that was really coincidental, but when I found out it was twins, I about hit the floor,” Brittany said.
While Evelyn and Madilyn continue to grow, the parents are relying on one another with an overall positive outlook.
This time, Brittany and Elijah hope to finally be able to bring their baby girls home.
Want to help this family? Visit their GoFundMe page where you can donate electronically.