Photo: Lauren Joy Fleishman
As parents Heather and Riley Delaney, of Mooresville, North Carolina, look back on their journey in this week’s issue of PEOPLE, Riley, 26, is reminded how “grateful” they are.
“I can’t imagine our lives without them now,” says Heather, 29. “They made our lives complete.”
The surgery was risky on many levels, but the biggest concern was that the girls shared a superior sagittal sinus — the large blood vessel that carries the majority of the blood from the brain.
“A lot of the time one of the twins who are connected this way dies in surgery,” said lead neurosurgeon Dr. Gregory Heuer. “We easily could have lost them.”
To help with the costs that continue to accumulate today,the family created a GoFundMe page that has since raised more than $33,000.
The twins are not out of the woods just yet — and have many more years of therapy ahead — but their parents say they have come far. Three times a week the girls go to sessions to work on improving their motor, speech and eating skills, and once a week a therapist comes to their house.
• For much more on the Delaney family’s story, pick upthis week’s issue of PEOPLE, on newsstands Friday.
Even the smallest things, like learning how to eat on their own, is a “huge deal,” she adds.
Adds Riley, “They’re delayed in some ways because of how long they were conjoined, but we’re hopeful they’ll make up for lost time.”
Every moment with their girls, who are best friends, makes Heather and Riley more excited for the next.
“They each have their own unique personalities,” says Riley. “It’s so fun to watch them together.”
She adds: “They’re little fighters and miracles. They have a bright future ahead of them.”
source: people.com
