Many years have passed, but the birth moment of Jenna and Jillian (USA) is still the report that holds the record for views of News 5 Cleveland.
Jenna and Jillian Thistlethwaite are identical twins developing opposite personalities.
“Jenna is our more shy and quiet one,” said their mother, Sarah Thistlethwaite. “Jillian is our more sassy one.”
On May 9, 2014, doctors from Akron Children’s Hospital delivered the sisters at Cleveland Clinic Akron General Medical Center.
Moments after the deliveries, doctors noticed the twins were holding hands. Photographs of the touching moment went viral and warmed the hearts of everyone in the delivery room.
The two babies were born 45 seconds apart. When the doctor picked them up, the two children were holding hands.
The couple experienced a rare mono mono pregnancy, which is considered high-risk and occurs only once in every 10,000 births. It happens when twins share the same placenta and amniotic sac.
“You think at the time, ‘This is awesome. I wish that people could see this.’ And then bam, everybody did,” Bill Thistlethwaite said.
The girls still hold hands often and their closeness is on display in other ways. Several times a week, Bill and Sarah will wake up and find them sleeping in the same bed event though they have separate beds.
“They are just so close and they just want to be around each other,” Sarah said.
The sisters, who like gymnastics and playing barbies, are now old enough to find past stories about them online.
“They talk about being famous. That’s always funny,” Bill added.
The couple’s older son, Jaxon, who is in second grade.
One of the Akron Children’s Doctors who delivered the twins, It’s Dr. Katherine Wolfe.
Dr. Wolfe has never seen a set of twins grab and hold hands after a delivery, and said that moment in 2014 will always be special.
“These are the moments that I relish, that make coming to work every day worthwhile,” Dr. Wolfe said.
Jenna was born weighing four pounds, two ounces and Jillian weighed 3 pounds, 13 ounces. Jillian initially had more health concerns, but both girls are completely healthy now.
Bill and Sarah said it’s special realizing their kids made the world smile for a moment in time and they can’t wait to see what the future holds for the twins.