Sarah Biren
Sarah Biren
March 10, 2024 ·  2 min read

Nurse Places Dying Newborn next To Her Twin, Ends up Giving Her a Hug That Saves Her Life

Sometimes, the love between siblings stems from the supernatural and never runs dry. They may fight, they may argue, they may bicker, they may not talk to each other for years, but in the end, they are willing to lay down their lives for each other. Even from infancy, when everyone believes they know what love is yet, they feel it and express it as strongly as they would in their old age.

Modern medicine, truly, can’t explain everything. It certainly couldn’t explain the sort of powerful love radiating between these twin baby sisters who were born prematurely. Love so powerful that a warm touch was enough to save a life. One of the girls was on the brink of death, and a hug from her sister gave her a full chance at life [1]. It was a story we shouldn’t forget.

Kyrie and Brielle

At the UMass Memorial Health Care in Worchester, Massachusetts, Kyrie and Brielle Jackson were born prematurely at 28 weeks. Upon their birth, the nurses had informed their father that they were both doing well and had a high chance of survival. Their father bore no grudge against the nurses when things went downhill for Brielle. With premature babies, it only takes a second for a new reality to take over.

When the girls hit the three-week mark, Brielle spiraled into respiratory distress characterized by low oxygen levels and a high heart rate. Her skin color was slowly turning blue and she was gasping for air.

Nurse Gayle Kasparian who worked at the Newborn Intensive Care Unit at the time did something that has been a saving grace to many dying infants ever since. The twins were initially kept in separate incubators to prevent the possible spread of infection, but they were quickly losing Brielle. Nurse Gayle requested permission from their parents before placing Kyrie in Brielle’s incubator. Kyrie was the stronger twin.

Speaking to CNN, Nurse Gayle said: “When I put Brielle in with her sister, it was amazing. She immediately calmed down. Her heart rate stabilized and her color changed.”

A New Dawn in the NICU

This practice is known as kangaroo care, a skin-to-skin contact (usually between mother and child) that’s believed to provide warmth, love, and affection for young children [2]. American physicians formerly didn’t believe in kangaroo care, but after the miracle or Brielle and Kyrie, it has become a common practice in the country.  The doctors believed the premature babies are usually too fragile and should be isolated. They may risk passing infections to one another or experience discomfort.

The twins are 24 now and living healthy lives. They are deeply close to one another and are aware that the bond they share is not ordinary.

Sources

  1. Nurse places dying newborn next to her twin ends up giving her a hug that saves her life. Admin. The BL stories. Retrieved from https://stories.thebl.com/76319/nurse-places-dying-newborn-next-to-her-twin-ends-up-giving-her-a-hug-that-saves-her-life.html. April 9, 2019.
  2. Kangaroo care. Admin. Cleveland Clinic. Retrieved from https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/treatments/12578-kangaroo-care. No date available.
  3. Signs of Respiratory Distress in Children. Admin. Stanford Children’s Hospital. Retrieved from https://www.stanfordchildrens.org/en/topic/default?id=signs-of-respiratory-distress-in-children-90-P02960. No date available.