Justin Ackerman and Stephanie Combs were just like any anxious couple, eagerly awaiting the arrival of their twins. And like many parents, they did not opt to undergo genetic screening as they only wished for their children to be happy and healthy.
And the Jacksonville, Florida, couple was astonished when they welcomed two beautiful twin daughters into the world two months before Stephanie’s official due date on May 12. Before the birth, they understood that one of their babies had a chance of carrying a genetic disorder but decided against testing. To everyone’s surprise, Kennadi and McKenzie Ackerman were born with Down Syndrome, making them one of the rarest twins in the world — one in a million.
According to Dr. Pamela Trapane, the medical director of Wolfson Children’s Hospital’s Duran Genetics Center in Jacksonville, two identical twins born with Down syndrome are “exceedingly rare.” The doctor added:
“For every 1,000 twin pregnancies, around two will have at least one baby with Down syndrome. However, the chance prior to a pregnancy that the pregnancy will be twins and that both twins will have Down syndrome is around one in 1 to 5 million.”
Everyone reacts to life-altering news differently. That certainly was the case for Stephanie and Justin. According to Stephanie, her husband was “very emotional” when he learned of his daughter’s diagnosis. However, she was “just happy they were here.”
While the couple was told during her pregnancy that there was a high probability that at least one of their children would be born with Down Syndrome, they never said that further testing was necessary. The first-time mom recalled:
“Every (prenatal) appointment they were alive was a blessing to me.”
According to their mom, by January 2022, her precious angels were “hitting milestones like no other.” They both attend physical and occupational therapy every week, and their mom said they are close to being able to crawl.
Plus, both little girls are simply adorable as their parents describe Kenadia as a “ray of sunshine,” and Mckenli as “a total diva,” it’s clear that they are also full of personality.
In speaking with News4Jax, when the twins were five months old, Stephanie said:
“It’s very rare what they have, but they’ve been my little gems.”
Combs also further explained that “They’re called mono di twins, meaning that they had their own sacs, but they shared the same placenta, meaning that they were going to be identical.” She added, “Mo di twins as it is, it’s like very rare. And then you throw Down syndrome on top of it, it’s like one in 2 million.”
As their mom, Stephanie also wanted to send out a special message to remind everyone that her daughters were no different than any other children.
“They have feelings. They have a beating heart. They know how to talk. They know how to do things you do. They will get there. Like I said, it may be a step behind but they’re going to do it. I’ve learned these kids are feisty little things and happy little things,” the loving mother explained.
“They’re just like us. I’m not going to treat them any differently because they have Down syndrome.
Stephanie and her family are also trying to dispel the stigma and stereotype surrounding raising kids with Down Syndrome through their TikTok Channel.
You can watch a news report about their remarkable journey below.
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Sources:
- “Identical Twins Are One-In-Five-Million After Both Are Born With Down Syndrome” Apost.