Having a multiples birth is a joyful and stressful experience. Having multiple babies at once takes a physical toll on the pregnant person, a mental toll, and certainly a financial toll. And there is definitely a higher chance of complications, which only makes everything scarier.
One Georgia couple was thrilled to find out that they were expecting twins, but that elation soon turned into fear when they discovered that the twins were conjoined with no hope of separation
The family had months to prepare for the twins’ arrival, knowing they wouldn’t live for long
Breana and Matthew Dell went for a prenatal ultrasound in November of 2023, and found out that they were expecting twin girls. The couple was surprised because there was only one heartbeat.
“Everything changed in seconds,” Breana told People in February, shortly before giving birth.
On February 29, Breana delivered her twin girls, named Amelia Jane and Elhora Auri via c-section at 7:37 a.m. Each girl weighed 3.5 lbs. An hour after they were born, the girls die
“They didn’t ever cry or open their eyes, but they had a heartbeat,” Breana shared. “They were beautiful. I told them they were beautiful.”
The Dells were grateful for the time they had with their sweet girls
When the Dells, who also share a son named Dallas, found out that their girls were conjoined, they were told there was no way to know how long they would survive after they were born.
“Their lives were so meaningful,” Breana told People after the girls’ death. “In the small amount of time that we had with them, they really changed our lives.”
“Because of them,” Breana explained. “I think that there was a domino effect of other things that happened that are good.”
Breana shared her story on social media, creating a large community of support
Shortly before giving birth, Breana created a Facebook page, Conjoined Dell Twins, where she shared details about her pregnancy. Even now, after the girls have gone, she continues to share stories about her and the family’s healing journey as they continue to live with the immense loss. Her posts get hundreds of likes and dozens of comments, with people sharing thoughts and their own experiences with loss.
“It’s encouraging to see someone else go through something similar,” Matthew said. “Knowing that hard things happen to other people, we don’t have to feel alone.”
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Their vast community has really come through for the family.
“The people that follow on the Facebook page have just been so kind … I really wish I could give them all a big hug. They’re very sweet, and I like to keep those people updated because they’ve been so meaningful in our lives,” Breana said of her online community.
“People showed that they care so much — that has been huge for me, and I’m so grateful,” she added.
While she was pregnant, the Dell family created a GoFundMe to help with the medical costs associated with the birth, as well as other needs. As of today, the fundraiser has nearly doubled its initial goal. That’s not counting people who stepped up and sent gift cards and other things. One person sent the Dells a quilt with intertwined hearts that has become a cherished keepsake.
The journey to healing is far from over, but the family is doing well
Breana still updates her Facebook page with stories about life after loss. In July, she shared a post about her son Dallas wanting to “see babies.” She wrote that she and Dallas went through a chest they have as a memory to the girls together.
“He was so gentle in the way he handled everything inside,” she shared. “He sat and talked about baby Amelia and Elhora and then we read The Moon Is Always Round, which if any of you have read, you know is a tear jerker. After the book, we put the things back in the chest and went and had lunch. I’m thankful he shows interest is his baby sisters. I didn’t know what to expect from him since he’s so young, but he is such a good big brother. ❤️”
Breana also shared that in her healing journey, she began painting watercolors for the first time since she was in college, and has started a small business, Petal & Paint.
As for the future, the couple hopes to build a house soon. And they’re not ruling out having more children. “Sometimes I wonder: Am I really ready to have another baby or am I just missing the ones I had? And both could be true,” she told People, adding “and both probably are true.”