Pregnancy can be frightening for many. Preparing for an entirely new life is one of the most significant changes you will ever make. The fear of a tricky birth, complications, potential conditions, and congenital defects such as conjoined twins is an authentic experience for many moms.
It’s not only the infants that are at risk. There is a real danger that the birthing process could go horribly wrong. Putting the lives of both the mother and child at risk. Now take all of this anxiety and triple it. With their biological mother unable to care for them, the three girls (two of which were conjoined twins) had an uncertain future.
Then the conjoined twins and their sister were fostered by the most loving family
Now known as Mackenzie, Macey, and Madeline were fostered by a couple from Iowa named Darla and Jeff Garrison who realized the urgency for the three girls to find a loving home of their own. The couple were already parents to three biological boys and were more than happy to take the conjoined twins and their sister in.
Macey and Mackenzie were born joined at the pelvis, each with one leg and a third useless leg. They were in constant, tremendous pain. The decision was made to separate them at 10 months of age. The surgery was performed by Dr. James Stein, chief medical officer at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, in a 24-hour surgery in 2003. Mackenzie was home after six weeks, Macey a month later.
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It was then that Jeff and Darla began the adoption process
“We’d fallen in love with them. Our boys were so happy to have three sisters,” Darla told Closer Magazine. It was two years later when the adoption finally went through and the Garrisons could finally call their family complete. They attended the same school and made many friends, living very normal, fulfilling lives.
They even got a pony and had special prosthetic legs fitted to allow them to ride. This form of physiotherapy for the once conjoined twins was magnificent for their development. The lucky trio found such a great family. They got to grow up with three big brothers to always look out for them too! With the love and support of their family, they always felt comfortable and safe.
”We had no idea what to expect – but they only needed someone who loved them. We got Madeline when she was four days old and Macey and Mackenzie came to us after four weeks.” Adoptive mother Darla said. The love these girls received shows. Now grown up, they have blossomed into beautiful women.
Grown up to be the most gorgeous adults
Born December 2002, weighing just 2lbs 2oz each, it’s hard to believe that the conjoined twins would ever have made it this far. “We’re very independent, we don’t need help. We can do pretty much everything that ‘normal’ people can do. I don’t look at myself as, like, I can’t do that. Because I have one leg. That’s just not who we are as people,” Macey said in 2021, speaking with Truly.
The world needs more people like Jeff and Darla. The world needs more young women like the Garrison girls. From conjoined twins with an uncertain life expectancy to young women with such bright futures AND bright smiles!
