When a couple learned they were having triplets, it was the biggest surprise of their lives. After a lengthy labor episode, they believed they were finally out of shock when the doctor revealed further startling news that they had not anticipated.
Parenthood has the most unanticipated effects on people. Parents experience great excitement and satisfaction from the thought of cradling a young child and attending to all of their needs. Nothing beats the joy parents have when they hear their children pronounce their first word or take their very first step.
Being a parent is, in fact, nothing less than a chaotic rollercoaster ride, with surprises around every bend. However, no parent would put up with the sleepless nights, hard days, and chaotic evenings if it weren’t worth it in the end. In today’s story, a couple’s lives is turned for the better as a result of a touching surprise.
Katelyn Fugate was born to Kimberly and Craig Fugate, a charming Mississippi-based couple. The couple found out they were expecting again in 2013, and they couldn’t be happier. The Fugates then learned of yet another wonderful development: they were going to have identical triplets.
Kimberly stated that she experienced intense labor and a difficult cesarean section birth of her triplets on February 8, 2014, more than two months before her due date, and that she was weary afterward.
But just as the mother from Mississippi was about to exhale in relief, the doctor cut her off with more unsettling information. “I have more feet,” he said. Kimberly was shocked and unable to comprehend what was taking place.
Just one day before Kimberly turned 42, her babies were born, but that only made the family’s celebration four times bigger.
It turned out that there was still going to be a baby. The University of Mississippi Medical Center discovered the fourth baby, who had managed to remain undetected on the ultrasound until she emerged behind the other three infants. Kimberly remembered:
“I just heard them say, “More feet. More feet,” after they had freed the three, and I responded, “No.” One surprise follows another.”
Despite expecting triplets, Kimberly unexpectedly gave birth to identical quadruplets instead, who were given the names Kenleigh Rosa, Kristen Sue, Kayleigh Pearl, and Kelsey Roxanne in honor of their relatives.
It still looked strange to deliver four infants at once, even if the woman claimed to have given birth to her children at 28 weeks. Kimberly stated that her preemies were extremely unwell and weighed between two and two and a half pounds.
The “Fugate Fours” spent a few months recovering in the NICU, where Kimberly disclosed that their tiny lungs need ventilators to help them breathe. She exclaimed as she cooed over her darling angels:
“The thrill is amazing just waking up in the morning and noticing their smiles, hearing them coo at me, and listening to them babble to one other. Every mother has a soft spot for her children, but I believe my children have the most attractive smiles. Also, those dimplings”
Craig and Katelyn, in addition to Kimberly, were overjoyed to welcome the quadruplets into their hearts and home and provided Kimberly with assistance at every turn.
Just one day before Kimberly turned 42, her babies were born, multiplying the family’s celebration by four. The mother claimed that while caring for her infants in the NICU, she stayed nearby at the Ronald McDonald House, where the parents of other ill children grew to resemble her family.
The Mississippian recalled that for the first few months, she worried about the lives of her children, but that eventually, everything fell into place. The little angels spent three months in the NICU before coming home in May, and their mother reported that they were healthy and happy. Added her:
“I felt that God had chosen me to be the mother of these quadruplets, and that He would protect them and ensure their survival. I feel very fortunate to have seen how far they’ve come.”
Near order to give the kids more room, the Fugates claimed they relocated from their two-bedroom trailer in Jayess, Mississippi, to a four-bedroom, double-wide mobile home. The babies, who were kept in isolettes at the hospital, reportedly started to interact and give hugs as they got used to their new surroundings.
The infants used to wear name bracelets, but Kimberly claimed she removed them because she was concerned they would ingest them. The proud mother claimed she had no issue identifying them apart due to their individual personalities and physical features.
The odds of having identical quadruplets are incredibly rare—approximately one in 13 million, according to Dr. James Bofill, a professor of maternal-fetal medicine at the Mississippi Hospital—with just 60 occurrences documented in medical history.
Four babies to care for was a lot of work, but fortunately Kimberly said she had other hands to assist her. In a 2014 interview with TODAY, she stated:
“My 11-year-old daughter Katelyn is a big help. She assists with feedings and showers in the evening. She aids in their slumber. She engages them in play and keeps them happy. I also have family close by that can assist me if necessary.”
Kimberly acknowledged that she was conscious of her good fortune and expressed daily gratitude for her young princesses. She uttered:
“I consider myself to be the luckiest mother in the entire world. My life’s biggest surprise was the babies, and I couldn’t picture it continuing without them.”
The “Fugate Fours” are still doing well, and in February they turned eight.
Miracles do occur every day, and they frequently come as a surprise when we least expect them. We wish this woman all the love and happiness because she experienced a miracle multiplied by four.
Can you recall a time when a touching miracle brought you unending happiness? Please share this mother’s inspiring tale with your loved ones and keep us updated with your insightful feedback.